YIELD, LIPID, CHOLESTEROL AND FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION OF SPENT HENS FED FULL-FAT OIL SEEDS AND FISH-MEAL DIETS

Yield, proximate and fatty acids composition of white and dark meats and whole carcasses were determined in spent hens fed flax or canola seeds, fish meal and a control diet. Live weights and percent carcass cut-up yield were not affected by the diets fed. However, hens fed flax seed diets contained significantly (P < 0.05) lower levels of cholesterol in the dark meat than the control group. The inclusion of oil seeds, in particular flax seeds in the hens diet, enriched the meats with omega-3 fatty acids (C18:3-omega-3; C20:5-omega-3; C22:5-omega-3). Omega-3 fatty acids enriched poultry meats from spent hens could be useful in the development of "health oriented" further processed poultry products.