Lj. Caston et al., HEN PERFORMANCE, EGG QUALITY, AND THE SENSORY EVALUATION OF EGGS FROMSCWL HENS FED DIETARY FLAX, Canadian journal of animal science, 74(2), 1994, pp. 347-353
Two hundred and twenty-five 19-wk-old Single Comb White Leghorn pullet
s of a commercial strain were fed diets containing either 0, 10 or 20%
ground flax seed. Birds fed 20% dietary flax were smaller and ate mor
e feed (P < 0.01). Hen performance in terms of egg production and egg-
shell deformation was unaffected by dietary flax throughout the trial.
Egg weight followed this trend until period 12, when control-fed hens
laid significant larger eggs (P < 0.01). The metabolizable energy of
diets containing 10 and 20% ground flax was significantly less than th
at of the control com-soybean diet (P < 0.01). Malondialdehyde levels
in the liver of birds fed 20% dietary flax were moderately elevated, a
lthough this was not indicative of serious lipid peroxidation. Percent
age liver fat was significantly lower in birds fed all levels of dieta
ry flax (P < 0.05). There was a significant increase of N-3 fatty acid
s, and particularly linolenic acid, in the livers of birds fed all lev
els of dietary flax. The data from taste-panel studies involving fresh
and stored eggs were somewhat inconclusive, although in general there
was a slight perception of off-flavour in eggs from flax-fed birds.