Animal feed manufacturers may be interested to hear that omega acids could have an important role to play in chicken food.
Research from the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences has been looking at how to reduce instances of bone breakage in laying hens.
The study found that adding the right amount of omega acids to chicken feed can reduce the number of bone breaks by up to 40 per cent, ensuring the welfare of the birds and the continuity of egg production.
"To ensure that we can feed a growing world population sustainably and well it is essential that farmers maximise production, but this cannot be done at the expense of animal welfare," said Professor Douglas Kell, chief executive of the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council, which funded the research.
Separate research from Aberystwyth University recently revealed that adding sandalwood to animal feed can improve meat and milk production in cows by significantly reducing methane emissions.
Typical Guttridge equipment used in the animal feed industry includes:
Conveyors – screw conveyors – chain conveyors – belt conveyors
