Tex”s Highlights From The Following Reports.
1. One consideration in the use of fish oil as the n-3 fatty acid source is its off flavour in bird.
Omega-3 chickens have a slight fishy taste that can put some people off eating these chickens. That is one reason that I have been told that my chickens taste different from store bought chickens. Omega-3 chickens can also produce Omega-3 eggs that can also have a slight fishy taste. Women can often detect this fishy taste.
2. Omega-3 chickens can have a reduced shelf life of the chicken meat.
3. There was a significant (P<0.05) difference between the fat pad weights of birds fed fish oil compared to those on the linseed based diets, thus fat pad of birds fed the diet containing fish oil was 19.6.
This is exactly what we are trying to achieve. Many of us can spend much of our cooking time trying to remove or reduce the fat in our diet.
By eating Omega-3 chickens we are eating lean mean chickens with little fat. The fat that they do contain is the good fat; Omega-3.
4. The relatively poorer performance of birds could be attributed to grain quality due to length of time in storage.
Thus if you try to provide Omega-3 using grains rich in this fat it needs to be fresh grain as it appears that Omega-3 value of he grain reduces with time.
A report for the Rural Industries
Research and Development Corporation
by Mingan Choct, Adam Naylor, Hutton Oddy and John Nolan University of New England
Long chain fatty acids
“Omega – 3 fatty acids present in fish oils, namingly docasahexaenoic (DHA) and eicosapentanoic acids (EPA), reduce fat deposition by reducing the circulating very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels in the blood. Fish oil has been reported to improve feed efficiency in broilers (Farrell, 1995) but its impact on growth performance remains unclear.
This investigation was designed to test the effect of differing long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids on lean tissue deposition.
Fat sources high in omega-3 fatty acids (fish oil) and linoleic acid (safflower oil and lard) were tested against linseed oil to assess lean growth in broilers.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A high intake of fish oil is beneficial in the fight against heart disease, hypertension, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis. This protective quality is associated with the high levels of long chain omega-3 (n-3) , namingly eicosapentaenoic acid (C20:5, n-
3) (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (C22:6, n-3) (DHA). These n-3 fatty acids have a pharmacological impact on the thrombic and inflammatory systems. EPA and DHA influence haemostatis and the vascular system, and behave as regulators of inflammation. Like CLA, fish oils rich in n-3 fatty acids reduce the catabolic response induced by immune stimulation and effectively may promote growth (Chin et al., 1994). Omega-3 fatty acids also reduce the very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels in blood, acting to lower the circulating free low density lipoprotein (LDL) concentration. Omega-3 fatty acids lower the blood levels of free LDLs (which are normally delivered to tissues for fat storage or is deposited directly in the arteries) and reduce the rate of triglyceride synthesis in the liver. Diets fortified with fish oils may effectively reduce the abdominal fat pad and overall body fat levels in broilers. Fish oil increases the feed conversion efficiency of broiler diets (Farrell, 1995), but it ¼ effect on growth and body fat deposition is unclear.
One consideration in the use of fish oil as the n-3 fatty acid source is it ¼ off flavour in bird diets and the reduced shelf life of the chicken meat. A combination of preserving agents and antioxidants may be used to increase shelf life and conceal the distasteful flavours (Farrell,1995).
Materials and Methods
Experiment 2 was undertaken to test the influence of various fat sources, at two dietary levels, on lean growth. Diets containing linseed oil, lard, fish oil and safflower oil at 2% and 4% of diet were fed ad libitum to male broiler chicks from days 1 to 42. Feed intakes and bird weights at day 21 and day 42 were measured and feed efficiency calculated. On day 43 all birds were slaughtered.Body, plucked, carcass, gut, abdominal fat pad weights and breast yield were recorded.
3.2 Experiment 2
This experiment was conducted to test the effect of long chain and conjugated fatty acid sources on lean tissue deposition in broilers.
Husbandry
Day old birds (48) were randomly housed in individual temperature control brooders in a climate control room. The temperature of the room was maintained between 31.5 – 33.50C, with a relative humidity of 55%. As a safety precaution the brooders were fitted with 40 watt light bulbs, which switched on through a thermostat control if the room temperature fell below 310C. The birds were maintained in this room until week three when they were transferred to larger individual cages (Appendix 2).
Handling of the birds was as per Experiment #1 with the exception that the birds were weighed at three weeks intervals (weeks three and six).
Experimental Design
Experiment two was a 2 x 4 factorial design. Two different increments (2% and 4%) of four fatty acid sources (linseed oil, lard, safflower oil and fish oil) were used in formulating the eight diets. Six birds were designated to each diet. Linseed in this experiment was considered the control diet as it contained little linoleic acid and EPA and DHA are not
present. The tallow diet consisted of a higher proportion of saturated fats than the other diets. The tallow diet did, however, contain traces of arachidonic acid and high content of ¼ linoleic acid as the c-9, t-11 isomer. Safflower oil was used as a rich source of linoleic acid (over 77% of total fatty acid content). Fish oil treatments were trialed as they supply high levels of the omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. The commercial fish oil used in this experiment had an unknown fatty acid composition. The fish oil composition displayed in Table 3.5 is a representation of a fish oil ¼ specific fatty acid levels (cod oil from Tacon,
1990).
Table 3.5: The Fatty Acid Composition of Fat Treatments.
| Fatty Acid | Common Name |
LinseedFat
TallowSource
Safflower
Fish *12:0lauric-0.1–14:0myristic-3.20.13.716:0palmic624.56.512.618:0stearic4192.42.320:0arachidic-0.1–16:1, n-7palmitoleic-3.3-9.318:1, n-9oleic1642.613.122.720:1, n-9gadoleic-0.6-7.522:1, n-9erucic—6.218:2, n-6linoleic152.677.71.518:3, n-3alpha-linolenic590.7-0.618:3, n-6gamma-linolenic-0.20.2-20:4, n-6arachidonic-0.4-1.420:5, n-3EPA—12.922:5, n-3adrenic—1.722:6, n-3DHA—12.7
* Cod oil (source = Tacon, 1990)
Diets and Feeding
Both the starter and grower diets were formulated at UNE using FEEDMANIA software package (Mania Software, ABRI, UNE.) (Table 3.6 and Table 3.7 respectively).. The difference between diets was the differing fat sources and levels. Feed and water were available to the birds ad libitum.
Table 3.6: Starter Diets (ME = 12.31 MJ/kg; Protein = 21.19%)
Ingredients 4% FAT (% as feed)
| Sorghum (9% C.P.) | 41.21 | 39.21 |
| Barley (9% C.P.) | 15.00 | 15.00 |
| Rice Pollard (13% C.P.) | 5.30 | 5.30 |
| Cottonseed | 5.00 | 5.00 |
| Meat and Bone Meal (50% C.P.) | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Soyabean Meal (48% C.P.) | 24.80 | 24.80 |
| Limestone | 1.50 | 1.50 |
| Dicalcium Phosphate | 0.70 | 0.70 |
| DL Methionine | 0.40 | 0.40 |
| Lysine | 0.28 | 0.28 |
| Threonine | 0.11 | 0.11 |
| Salt | 0.20 | 0.20 |
| Premix (vitamins & minerals) | 0.50 | 0.50 |
| Fat (lard, safflower, linseed or fish oil) | 2.00 | 4.00 |
| Total | 100.00 | 100.00 |
Table 3.7: Finisher Diets (ME=12.34 MJ/kg; Protein = 20.81%)
Ingredients 2% Fat 4% FAT(% as feed)
| Sorghum (9% C.P.) | 46.32 | 41.32 |
| Barley (9% C.P.) | 10.00 | 10.00 |
| Rice Pollard (13% C.P.) | 5.00 | 8.00 |
| Cottonseed | 10.00 | 13.00 |
| Meat and Bone Meal (50% C.P.) | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Soyabean Meal (48% C.P.) | 20.00 | 17.00 |
| Limestone | 1.70 | 1.70 |
| Dicalcium Phosphate | 0.60 | 0.60 |
| DL Methionine | 0.30 | 0.30 |
| Lysine | 0.20 | 0.20 |
| Threonine | 0.03 | 0.03 |
| Salt | 0.35 | 0.35 |
| Premix (vitamins & minerals) | 0.50 | 0.50 |
| Fat (lard, safflower, linseed, or fish oil | 2.00 | 4.00 |
| Total | 100.00 | 100.00 |
Measurements
Feed Intake and FCE: During this experiment feed intake and FCE were determined every three weeks. The birds were weighed upon arrival, at three weeks (when cages and rooms were changed) and at slaughter.
Body Parameters: The same body parameters were measured as a representation of growth in the animal. All of the birds were processed on the same day. The techniques employed were the same as those used in Experiment 1. Live weight, carcass weight, abdominal fat pad, breast muscles, and visceral weight were measured.
Results
Feed Conversion Efficiency and Growth
There was no effect of dietary fat source and level on feed efficiency and body weight, the plucked weight or carcass weight of the birds.
Body composition
Viscera Weight: The average viscera weight at 42 days was 205.6g. The type of fat in the diet and the amount present did not influence weight.
Abdominal Fat Pad: The abdominal fat pad weighed an average of 22.9g. There was a significant (P<0.05) difference between the fat pad weights of birds fed fish oil compared to those on the linseed based diets, thus fat pad of birds fed the diet containing fish oil was 19.6g
for 2% inclusion and 21.6g for 4% inclusion compared with 28.7g for 2 % linseed and 26.8g for 4% linseed inclusion (Table 4.4).
The amount of fat in the diet did not affect the fat pad weight. Diets containing 4% fat resulted in slightly heavier abdominal fat pads than those with 2% fat (2% fat = 22.5g 1.45 and 4% fat = 23.4g 1.45).
Breast Muscle Weight: The average breast weight for the trial was 348.2g. The level of fat in the diet did not influence the breast yield. The birds receiving linseed oil had the lowest
Breast weights, with an average weight of 336.9g (Table 4.5), whereas birds receiving the lard had the highest breast yield, with an average weight of 357.0g.
Table 4.4: Effect of Fat Source on Abdominal Fat Pad Weight.
| Fat Source | % Addition | Fat Pad Wt.(g) |
| Fish Oil | 2 | 19.6 |
| 4 | 21.6 | |
| Linseed Oil | 2 | 28.7 |
| 4 | 26.8 | |
| Safflower Oil | 2 | 22.6 |
| 4 | 20.7 | |
| Lard | 2 | 18.9 |
| 4 | 24.6 |
Table 4.5:Effect of Fat Source on Body Parameters
DIET DIET ID Body Wt. Carcass Gut Wt. (g) Fat Pad Breast Wt. (g)
| No. | Wt.(g) | Wt.(g) | ||||
| 1 | 2% Fish Oil | 2177.3 | 1905.2 | 206.4 | 19.6 | 365.2 |
| 2 | 2% Lard | 2147.8 | 1794.5 | 208.1 | 18.9 | 336.8 |
| 3 | 2% Linseed | 2002.7 | 1656.2 | 204.2 | 28.7 | 336.5 |
| 4 | 2% Safflower | 2244.8 | 1877.6 | 205.8 | 22.6 | 372.8 |
| 5 | 4% Fish Oil | 2083.7 | 1736.9 | 196.0 | 21.6 | 334.3 |
| 6 | 4% Lard | 2204.8 | 1850.4 | 199.9 | 24.6 | 377.2 |
| 7 | 4% Linseed | 2128.8 | 1771.4 | 202.8 | 26.8 | 337.3 |
| 8 | 4% Safflower | 2093.7 | 1719.0 | 221.8 | 20.7 | 325.3 |
| Mean: | 2135.5 | 1788.9 | 205.6 | 23.0 | 348.2 |
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil may have reduced the catabolic response induced by the immune system (Chin et al., 1994), reducing protein turnover levels and effectively promoting lean growth.This is supported by the findings of Newman et al. (1998) that fish oil increases glucose uptake into the muscle tissue and decreases plasma triglyceride concentration in broiler chickens. The level of fat in the diet (2 or 4% of diet) had no significant effect on feed efficiency or lean growth.”
Chicken Meat Indus
Broiler performance on pearl millet based diets
By D N Singh, T A D Nagle and P C Trappett
Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries (QPIF) Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation
Introduction
“The oil content of pearl millet grain is also higher than other cereal grain. In particular omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to accumulate in the eggs of hens fed pearl millet based diet (Collins et al., 1997). Omega-3 enriched eggs are already available as ¼functional food ¼ in European supermarkets and command a price premium.
Results
Feed conversion rate to 21 days for sorghum was also significantly less than that of NPM3 (omega-3) and than that of both pearl millets to 42 days.
Discussion of Results
The AME content of the pearl millet samples was 1.5MJ higher than sorghum and the protein content was highest in PM35 (13.3%) followed by sorghum (12.8%), NPM3 (11.9%) and NPM4 (9.6%). Fat content of the PM35 (6.3%) samples were approximately twice that of sorghum (3.6%) but the starch content was similar (~65%).
Implications
Pearl millet grain is an ideal feed for broilers, being a high energy cereal as well as high protein cereal with a balanced amino acid profile that could be worth a 5-15% premium over sorghum in least cost diets.
The relatively poorer performance of birds on NPM3 could be attributed to grain quality due to length of time in storage. The high fat content of pearl millet could have made the grain rancid and this could have led to lower energy content which would have led to higher feed intake and therefore poorer FCR.”
downloads at www.rirdc.gov.au/fullreports/index
purchases at www.rirdc.gov.au/eshop
Further readings
Ask An Expert: Are Eggs Healthy?
What are the health benefits of eating eggs?
“Eggs are a very economical source of very high quality protein, in addition to eleven vitamins and minerals,” says Professor Noakes. “The high protein content in eggs can be very satisfying and help to control hunger. Interestingly, eggs are good source of omega 3 fats which are also found in fish.
Eggs also contain folic acid, which we generally think comes only from green leafy vegetables. The yolk of the egg also contains the lutein and zeathanthin which are important for eye health.
Do people with type 2 diabetes need to be more cautious when it comes to eating eggs?
“People with type 2 diabetes definitely need to be more cautious about eating a healthy diet but they don’t need to fear eating eggs,” assures Professor Noakes. “We conducted a study in people with type 2 diabetes where they followed the CSIRO Total Wellbeing Diet which contained either two eggs per day or no eggs.
http://www.diabeticliving.com.au/article/food/ask-an-expert-are-eggs-healthy
Pastured vs Omega-3 vs Conventional Eggs – What’s The Difference?
- Omega-3 Enriched Eggs– Basically, they’re like conventional chickens except that their feed is supplemented with an Omega-3 source like flax seeds. May have had some access to the outside.
https://authoritynutrition.com/pastured-vs-omega-3-vs-conventional-eggs/
What Is the Difference Between Omega-3 Eggs and Regular Layer Eggs?
Browsing the grocery aisle,you’re likely to find eggs with the words “omega-3” on the label. These eggs are different from regular eggs because they’ve been enriched with essential polyunsaturated fats, which is done by feeding laying hens a diet rich in omega-3 fats.
Types of Omega-3s in Eggs
There are three primary omega-3 fats: alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, or ALA, EPA and DHA. The first type is found in plants, and the latter two are found in fish. The amount and type of omega-3 fatty acids found in eggs varies depending on the diet the hens are fed.
Omega-3 eggs: healthier choice or marketing gimmick?
Eggs can be fortified with two different omega-3 fatty acids: DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) and ALA (alpha linolenic acid). DHA is found in oily fish like salmon, trout and sardines. It’s crucial for the proper development and maintenance of brain cells. Higher intakes of DHA and EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), the other omega-3 fatty acid in oily fish, are also thought to guard against heart disease.
ALA is plentiful in flaxseed, flax oil, chia seeds, hemp oil, walnuts and walnut oil. It’s also found in canola oil and soybeans. Some studies suggest that higher intakes of ALA are protective against heart disease. However, the evidence for ALA’s heart benefits is less convincing since it hasn’t been studied as extensively as DHA.
Omega-3 eggs are produced by hens fed a diet containing flaxseed. When the hens digest the flax, some of the ALA gets broken down into DHA and both fatty acids transfer to the yolk. One omega-3 egg typically contains 340 milligrams of ALA and 75 to 100 milligrams of DHA.
Some companies also add fish oil to the chicken’s feed to further increase the DHA content of egg yolks. GoldEgg Omega Choice, for example, provides 130 mg of DHA an egg.
What Are Omega-3 Eggs?
Omega-3 eggs are produced by hens fed a special vegetarian diet that includes plant material, grains, flaxseed and sometimes, even seaweed. While humans cannot convert the Omega-3 found in Flaxseed into usable forms, chickens can.
Manufacturers have even patented chicken feed that produces eggs with super high levels of Omega-3, and they have lower levels of Omega-6.
These fatty acids are crucial to our bodies since we have no way to produce them ourselves. They are important for overall good health and are said to offer cardio-protective effects ranging from lowering blood pressure, decreasing triglyceride levels, improve heart health, lower the risk for heart attacks, lessen the risk of blood clots that could dangerously block arteries and inflammation. Omega-3-enriched eggs also provide about 1/3 less saturated fat and slightly less cholesterol than non-enriched eggs.
http://thescienceofeating.com/proteins/benefits-of-omega-3-eggs/
Dietary Cholesterol from Eggs Increases Plasma HDL Cholesterol in Overweight Men Consuming a Carbohydrate-Restricted Diet1,2
In summary, we have confirmed in this study that CRD improve all parameters related to MetS, including plasma lipids, fasting glucose, WC, and BP to the extent that 84% of the subjects who were originally classified as having MetS were no longer classified as such following the dietary intervention. We have also shown in this study that a challenge of dietary cholesterol during a weight loss intervention involving CRD does not alter the positive effects of a CRD on features of MetS but rather plays a major role in the positive effects on plasma HDL-C concentrations.
http://jn.nutrition.org/content/138/2/272.full
Eggs: Are they good or bad for my cholesterol?
Chicken eggs are high in cholesterol, but the effect of egg consumption on blood cholesterol is minimal when compared with the effect of trans fats and saturated fats.
The risk of heart disease may be more closely tied to the foods that accompany the eggs in a traditional American breakfast — such as the sodium in the bacon, sausages and ham, and the saturated fat or oils with trans fats used to fry the eggs and the hash browns.
Most healthy people can eat up to seven eggs a week with no increase in their risk of heart disease. Some studies have shown that this level of egg consumption may actually prevent some types of strokes.
But the story is different for people who have diabetes. In this ever-growing population, eating seven eggs a week significantly increases the risk of heart disease.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, one large egg has about 186 mg milligrams (mg) of cholesterol — all of which is found in the yolk.
When deciding whether to include eggs in your diet, consider the recommended daily limits on cholesterol in your food:
- If you are healthy, consume no more than 300 mg of cholesterol a day.
- If you have diabetes, high cholesterol or heart disease, limit the daily cholesterol intake to no more than 200 mg a day.
If you like eggs but don’t want the extra cholesterol, use only the egg whites. Egg whites contain no cholesterol. You may also use cholesterol-free egg substitutes, which are made with egg whites.
Eggs
Worried about whether you should be eating eggs? They’re really nutritious and it’s fine to have them regularly as part of a healthy diet.
Eggs contain good quality protein, 11 vitamins and minerals, and are a source of healthy fats including omega-3 fats.
One egg has about 5 g of fat – but most of this is unsaturated, a fat that you need to be healthy. An egg contains only about 1.5 g of saturated fat and no trans fat.
As part of a healthy balanced diet you can eat up to 6 eggs each week without increasing your risk of heart disease.
Cholesterol in eggs
Most people don’t need to worry about eating eggs and their cholesterol. The cholesterol in eggs has almost no effect on our blood cholesterol levels. Your cholesterol levels are more influenced by the saturated and trans fat we eat.
Some people are more sensitive to eating cholesterol in their diet and its effect on their blood cholesterol level. This means that when they eat food containing cholesterol, their LDL (bad) cholesterol levels rise more than other people.
https://www.heartfoundation.org.au/healthy-eating/food-and-nutrition/protein-foods/eggs
Eggs and Heart Disease
Long vilified by well-meaning doctors and scientists for their high cholesterol content, eggs are now making a bit of a comeback. While it’s true that egg yolks have a lot of cholesterol—and so may weakly affect blood cholesterol levels—eggs also contain nutrients that may help lower the risk for heart disease, including protein, vitamins B12 and D, riboflavin, and folate.
A solid body of research shows that for most people, cholesterol in food has a much smaller effect on blood levels of total cholesterol and harmful LDL cholesterol than does the mix of fats in the diet. Recent research has shown that moderate egg consumption—up to one a day—does not increase heart disease risk in healthy individuals (1, 2) and can be part of a healthy diet. (Make sure to store eggs in the fridge and cook them until the whites and yolks are firm, to prevent food-borne illness. For more tips on how to reduce your risk of salmonella from eggs, visit the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s website.)
People who have difficulty controlling their total and LDL cholesterol may want to be cautious about eating egg yolks and instead choose foods made with egg whites. The same is true for people with diabetes. In the Nurses’ Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-up Study, heart disease risk was increased among men and women with diabetes who ate one or more eggs a day. (1) For people who have diabetes and heart disease, it is best to limit egg consumption to no more than three yolks per week.
This research doesn’t give the green light to daily three-egg omelets. While a 2008 report from the ongoing Physicians’ Health Study supports the idea that eating an egg a day is generally safe for the heart, it also suggests that going much beyond that could increase the risk for heart failure later in life. (3) You also need to pay attention to the “trimmings” that come with your eggs. To your cardiovascular system, scrambled eggs, salsa, and a whole wheat English muffin are a far different meal than scrambled eggs with cheese, sausages, home fries, and white toast.
https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/eggs/
Well done if you found me here. You are on your way to a healthy life style.