Conjugated Linoleic Acid (CLA) is an essential polyunsaturated omega fatty acid that occurs naturally in vegetable oils. It also plays an important role in preserving meat for longer periods by preventing oxidation of other fats. Thus, it can be used in the production of functional foods with high biological value and low cholesterol levels by adding poultry diets. Objective: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of adding CLA to broiler diets on production performance and fatty acid content in the meat. Methodology: One-day-old Ross-308 chicks were randomly distributed into four dietary treatment groups: control (0 g CLA kgG1 diet; A1), 0.5 g CLA kgG1 diet (A2), 0.75 g CLA kgG1 diet (A3) and 1 g CLA kgG1 diet (A4). Diets began at 1-day-old and continued for 6 weeks; each treatment was replicated thrice, with 30 birds/replicate (360 birds total). Results: Birds fed diets supplemented with CLA showed significantly higher average body weight and body weight gain (both p<0.05). Compared to A1 birds, the A4 group showed a reduction in feed intake, increased feed conversion ratio and a significantly higher dressing percentage (all p<0.05). Moreover, breast, thigh and drumstick percentages were significantly higher in all CLA treatment groups versus A1 (all p<0.05). Overall, the A4 diet was superior to all other treatments (A1-A3). Furthermore, addition of CLA to broiler diets significantly affected meat quality (p<0.01) by increasing its CLA content. Conclusion: Addition of 1 g CLA kgG1 to broiler diets is optimal for enhancing production performance and the fatty acid content of meat
