Relationship Between Plasma Cholesterol Levels and Fecal Steroid Excretion of Cockerels Fed Low-Cholesterol and Cholesterol-Containing Diets

Cockerels having relatively high plasma cholesterol levels when fed a commercial diet low in cholesterol, excreted significantly higher amounts of bile acids in their feces than those with low plasma cholesterol levels on the same diet. Neutral steroids balance in these birds was not consistent. Plasma cholesterol levels of all the chickens and the amount of bile acids excreted by those with the high plasma cholesterol levels both decreased slightly when 2.5% stripped lard was added to the diet. No relationship was observed between plasma cholesterol levels of individual chickens before and after feeding 0.25% cholesterol. The differences in plasma cholesterol levels observed among individuals fed cholesterol did not seem to be due to differences in neutral steroids retention or fecal bile acid excretion. Excretion of bile acids was increased five-fold when cholesterol was fed, while the amount of fecal neutral steroids increased only two-fold. The chickens seemed to partially control the high positive balance of neutral steroids observed when they had been fed cholesterol, by considerably increasing the amount of bile acids excreted. Hyodeoxycholic acid was the main fecal bile acid. During high cholesterol ingestion a considerable amount of fecal lithocholic acid was also observed.