Are omega-3 enriched eggs even healthy if diet that makes eggs have plenty of omega-3 makes chickens miserable?
Are omega-3 enriched eggs healthy if diet rich in omega-3 cause chickens to have severe liver damage?
“With laying hens, there may be transitory
problems with suddenly incorporating 8-10%
flaxseed in the diet, usually manifested as
reduced feed intake and/or wet sticky manure.
These problems can usually be overcome by
gradual introduction of flaxseed, using for ex -ample, 4% for one week, followed by 6% for
another week and then the final 8-10% inclusion.
It usually takes 15-20 d in order for omega-3
content of eggs to plateau at the desired level of
300 mg/egg. With prolonged feeding there is often
greater incidence of liver hemorrhage in layers,
even though mortality is rarely affected. Such
hemorrhaging occurs even in the presence of
100-250 IU vitamin E/kg diet, which is a
regular addition to flax-based diets. Disruption
to liver function may become problematic if
other stressors occur.”
Commercial Poultry Nutrition