Feeding sunflower seeds

[saysfaa]

The high level of fat in sunflower seeds is not the reason to be cautious about how much is fed to your chickens.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6721126/

Titled

Omega-3 and Omega-6 Fatty Acids in Poultry Nutrition: Effect on Production Performance and Health​

Basically, it discusses "the practical application of omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids in poultry diets, and studied the critical effects of these fatty acids on productive performance, blood biochemistry, immunity, carcass traits, bone traits, egg and meat quality, and semen quality in poultry."

And discusses omega 3 and omega 6 in human diets. Specifically, the change from a healthy 1:1 ratio to a problematic 1:20 ratio in a typical diet and how shifting the ratio in what chicken's are fed can affect the ratio in the eggs and meat people eat.

Skipping to the bottom line -

Omega 6 sources include soybean, palm, sunflower, and rapeseed oils

Omega 3 sources include flaxseed, fish oil, safflower oil, linseed, fish meal, or algae

Side notes:

• Omega 6 is an essential fatty acid for chickens, so at least some must be included in the diet.
• Like chicken, the fat of grazing animals depends on the diet - more green grass results in more omega 3, more corn and soy, results in more omega 6 (the corn and soy oils eaten more directly by people also contributes to the 1:20 ratio)

 

[springvalley123]

Not only "you are what you eat" but .... You are what your food eats!