Hemp seed oil and evening primrose oil were incorporated into the diets of laying hens for 5 weeks and the level of gamma fatty acid in the eggs that the treated hens laid was then evaluated. Hens were fed corn-soybean based diets that contained 5% tallow, 5% corn oil (CO), 5% hemp seed oil (HSO), or 5% evening primrose oil (EPO). The hemp seed oil and evening primrose oil influenced the amount of gamma linolenic acid found in the eggs through blood. The level of gamma linolenic acid in the plasma was significantly higher in hens that received the HSO and EPO diets than in those that received the tallow and CO diets. The HSO and EPO diets led to a 1.09% and 4.87% increase in egg gamma linolenic acids, respectively, when compared with eggs produced by hens treated with tallow and CO. Taken together, these data demonstrate that healthy eggs with increased gamma linolenic acids can be generated by minor diet modifications when hemp seed oil or evening primrose oil is included in the hen diet.

• 박병성 | Park, Byung-Sung