Healthier embryonic and neonatal diet helps chickens' survival
OSU research says omega-3 fatty acids give chicks a head start
The U.S. broiler industry has historically struggled with high levels of chick mortality; 4 percent of chicks, the equivalent of about 500 million, die soon after hatching each year.
OSU has shown that feeding hens omega-3 fatty acids improves their chicks' chances of survival. OSU has also found that feeding baby chicks diets high in omega-3s within five hours of hatching further increases survival rates. In addition, the university is feeding hens new formulations of flaxseed and camelina with hopes that they'll produce more consistent and robust offspring.
Oregon producers sold $94 million worth of eggs and $68 million worth of broilers in 2012, making them the state's 15th and 23rd most important agricultural commodities, respectively.
Source: Gita Cherian, a poultry nutritionist at OSU; National Agricultural Statistics Service; Oregon Department of Agriculture's 2012 Agripedia.