November 2024

All in the family

New research shows adding omega-3s to broiler breeder diets improves health and resilience of broiler chicks

As the poultry sector continues exploring alternatives to antibiotics that can support broiler bird health and growth, a groundbreaking study at the University of Guelph took a step back to look at opportunities to first boost the health of broiler breeder hens. The premise was straightforward: feed them omega-3 fatty acids and see if the benefits could be passed on to the broiler chick.

“We wanted to find out that if we enriched the diet of broiler breeder hens with omega-3s, are they able to pass along the benefits through the egg so we have broiler chicks that are stronger and more resilient?” says Dr. Elijah Kiarie, professor of monogastric nutrition and McIntosh Family Professorship in Poultry Nutrition at the University of Guelph, who oversaw the research with his graduate student Dr. Aizwarya (Ash) Thanabalan.

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