Omega-3 FA in broiler breeder nutrition Astrid Koppenol

Introduction Yolk provides FA to embryo (80% absorbed) Yolk lipids: n-3 PUFA N-3 PUFA  eicosanoids  immunity BUT! Effect on breeder performance? Effect on egg quality? Effect on incubation? Effect on FA profile? Effect on growth offspring?

Omega-3 FA

Objectives Investigate effect of maternal transition of Arachidonic acid AA (20:4 n-6) Eicosapentaenoic acid EPA (20:5 n-3) Docosahexaenoic acid DHA (22:6 n-3) on: Performance of broiler breeder flock Incubation parameters Egg quality Chick quality Performance of offspring FA compositon fresh yolk – residual yolk – liver of offsprings During time: age of motherflock: 28 – 33 – 38 – 43 – 48 – 53 - 58 weeks

Performance of broiler breeders 480 Broiler Breeders (Ross 308) + 48 cockerels Week 6 – week 58 4 Feeds: A: n-6: control B: n-3: EPA=DHA EPA/DHA = +/- 0,8 C: n-3: DHA-rich EPA/DHA = +/- 0,2 D: n-3: EPA-rich EPA/DHA = +/- 2,1 pen 1 A pen 2 B pen 3 C pen 4 D pen 5 pen 6 pen 7 pen 8 pen 16 pen 15 pen 14 pen 13 pen 12 pen 11 pen 10 pen 9

Broiler Breeders Weekly measured Week 25-58 Mean per pen (n=4) n-3 effect on: EW LR n-3 no effect on: FCR BW

Egg Quality Week 28-43-58 60 eggs/treatment n-3 effect on: Egg Weight (g) Albumen Weight (g) Yolk Weight (g) Yolk color Shell Thickness (µm) n-3 no effect on: Shell Weight (g) Proportional AW (%) Proportional YW (%) Proportional SW (%) Egg deformation (µm) Haugh unit

Incubation Parameters n-3 no effect on: Chick quality Chick weight (g) Proportional CW (%) Middle and late embryonic mortality (%) Differences are found on: Fertility (%) Hatchability (%) Early embryonic mortality (%) Cockerels/methodology Residual yolk weight (g) Proportional RYW (%) Week 33-38-43-48-53-58 150 eggs/ treatment

Offspring Performance Week 28-43-58 600 eggs/ treatment  240 offspring/ treatment n-3 effect on: Body weight at d0 (g) FCR starter (g/a/d) FCR total period (g/a/d) pen 13 A pen 14 B pen 15 C pen 16 D pen 17 pen 18 pen 19 pen 20 pen 21 pen 22 pen 23 pen 24 pen 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 pen 10 pen 11 pen 12 n-3 no effect on: Body weight at d14, d28, d38 (g) Feed Intake (starter/grower/finisher) (g/a/d) Body Weight Gain (starter/grower/finisher) (g/a/d) Feed Conversion Ratio (grower/finisher)

Transfer of FA Yolk provides FA to embryo (80% absorbed) YSM: uptake and transfer of lipids from yolk to embryonic circulation Consumption eggs: dietary  yolk n-3 PUFA Broilers? n-3 PUFA  eicosanoids  immunity - 50% of total amount of FA originally present in the yolk incorporated into tissues of chick - 50% of total FA present in yolk undergoes β-oxidation to provide energy

FA composition d1 d14 d30 4 T: 1. control (AA) 2. EPA=DHA 3. DHA>EPA 4. EPA> DHA d1 d14 d30 Fresh yolk Residual yolk Liver

N-6/n-3 ratio Fresh yolk Residual yolk Control eggs: more n-6 FA Less n-3 FA Dietary n-3 enrichment lowers n-6/n-3

AA, EPA and DHA conc Fresh yolk Residual yolk FRESH YOLK Control group: Higher AA conc Lower DHA and EPA conc Dietary EPA increases EPA and DHA in yolk Dietary DHA results in only higher DHA conc Effect is less pronounced All enriched groups: Much more DHA available for the Progeny compared to control group

AA, EPA and DHA conc LIVER D1 EPA conc in DHA group is increased compared to RY conc All conc are higher Biomagnification of essential PUFA

Biomagnification of essential PUFA = proportion of essential C20-22 FA increases each stage of transfer process from RY to embryo Preferential uptake from yolk by YSM In YSM: DHA translocated to TAG, resulting in enriched VLDL released into circulation Preferential mobilisation from adipose TAG into plasma

DHA vs EPA DHA more present early in the post hatch life, while EPA remains low and equal in progeny liver

Conclusion Breeders: Egg quality: Incubation: Offspring: decreased LR and EW Increased FCR Egg quality: increased Ycolor, prop SW, ST decreased YW and AW Incubation: Decreased RYW and prop RYW Offspring: decreased BW d0, FCR starter

Conclusion Dietary n-3 enrichment Lowers n-6/n-3 ratio in fresh yolk and residual yolk More DHA available for transfer to offspring from residual yolk Adding DHA to maternal diet results in higher DHA concentration in fresh and residual yolk Adding EPA to maternal diet results in more EPA and DHA in residual yolk Biomagnification during transfer from RY to tissue of offspring DHA present in higher conc early in post hatch life

Thank you for your attention! Any Questions? Astrid Koppenol