Alternative poultry feed sources researched in Canada

Agriculture Canada and Nova Scotia’s Ministry of Agriculture said they would fund research projects across the four provinces in Atlantic Canada; Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick, to look into new, more plentiful sources of feed, as well as health initiatives for the poultry and egg industry.

One project being funded seeks to identify “healthy, cost-effective alternatives to traditional feed, such as omega (3)-rich crab meal, canola seeds and cold-pressed canola oil,” Agriculture Canada explained.

The Atlantic Poultry Research Institute will receive C$820,000 (€633,000) in funding from the government’s Canadian Agricultural Adaptation Program, which is jointly funded by the national and provincial governments.

“The government of Nova Scotia is investing in these projects to support scientific research that will improve the poultry sector’s adaptability, competitiveness and innovation,” Nova Scotia Minister of Agriculture John MacDonell said.

Six different research projects are being funded. One project aims to identify ways to increase omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants in chickens and eggs. Another seeks to assess ways to improve flock health and reduce disease.

Other research projects being funded include one to develop a new approach to vaccination, and another will look for a way to cut antibiotic use in poultry rearing.

The poultry and egg sector in the Atlantic region is made up of 235 producers and generated C$259 million (€200 million) in cash receipts in 2010.