Omega 3 (keel bone fractures)

Last update: 2 June 2023

• Action: Strengthening keel bone; supporting bone development.
• Animal category: Broilers.
• Technique: Adding omega 3 fatty acids (eg via linseed, fishmeal or algal oil) to the feed (to improve calcium uptake) while adding calcium to the feed (the ration for laying hens should contain between 2 – 2.5% Ca).
• Mode of action: Regulation of the function of bone cells and calcium metabolism; increased calcium balance and small intestine absorption, resulting in increased intestinal availability of calcium.
• Potential efficacy: Omega 3 fatty acids reduce keel bone fractures by 40-60% and increase bone strength, toughness & stiffness, bone density, volume & trabecular thickness, bone remodelling.
• Nature of evidence of efficacy: Peer-reviewed scientific publications (meta-analysis).
• Factors impacting on efficacy: The source of fatty acids, chain lengths and also the covariate response of dietary Calcium; housing system and laying environment (the bone of poultry in non-cage systems does get stronger but the risk of fractures is greater whereas in cage systems, it is the opposite as bones are weaker but the risk of fractures lower); rearing phase impacting the motor skills; animal characrteristics (age, weight, breed, genome, productivity, bone strength).
• Mode of use: Via concentrate feed formulation.
• Requirements/limitations: None.
• Economic consequences: Depending on the source of omega 3 used, the feeding cost may increase; avoidance of lower zootechnical performancemay compensate for it.
• Other considerations: Diets with excessive quantities of omega 3 fatty acids (or very high levels of C20/22 form), may affect health and livestock performance (decreasing egg quality and contra effects on keelbone fractures).
• References:
  • Toscano et al. (2015). The effects of long (C20/22) and short (C18) chain omega-3 fatty acids on keel bone fractures, bone biomechanics, behavior, and egg production in free-range laying hens. Volume 94, Issue 5, 1 May 2015, Pages 823-835. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S003257911932471X  
  • Thanabalan et al. (2022). A Meta-Analysis on the Significance of Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Bone Development and Quality in Egg- and Meat-Type Chickens. Frontiers. https://doi.org/10.3389/fanim.2022.875944
  • Tarlton, J. F., L. J. Wilkins, M. J. Toscano, N. C. Avery, and L. Knott (2013). Reduced bone breakage and increased bone strength in free range laying hens fed omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid supplemented diets. Bone 52:578–586. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23142806/
• Other techniques: Macrominerals supplementation (Ca).