POULTRY
Seaweed Meal can be used to provide similar results to antibiotics, but at reduced cost and less consumer concern.

Feeding with seaweed meal improves yolk colour, eggshell strength and lay. There’s no adverse effect on the storability, flavour or odour of eggs.

Where low grade or deficient rations are used, Maxicrop Seaweed Meal’s balanced organic nutrients ensure improved health and growth especially in broiler chicks and layers.

Maxicrop Seaweed Meal also provides essential iodine (most animals require 0.2-0.6 mg/kg feed dried weight), which assists in the absorption of nutrients and improves feed conversion and live weight gain in broilers.

RESEARCH

	In the USA 6,000 hens were fed 1.25% seaweed meal in their normal ration and this reduced the proportion of thin-shelled eggs from 3% to 1.9%. When, after three months, the seaweed addition was stopped, the proportion of thin-shelled eggs increased again to 3% (SSRA Report).
	In trials involving 544 White Leghorn pullets, on a somewhat deficient diet, egg-laying dropped to between 20% and 30%. Egg production improved when 8% of Ascophyllum meal was added to the diet. Results were significantly affected by the timing and quality of seaweed harvested. (Høie and Sandvik).
	In chick trials involving a total of 2,356 chicks, when Ascophyllum meal was added to chick feed without yeast, grass meal or cod liver oil but otherwise well-balanced, the seaweed meal produced additional gain in weight and an improvement in health (Høie and Sandvik).
	In trials involving 3,052 chicks, supplementation with Seaweed meal of chick rations deficient in certain vitamins, particularly A and B, resulted in a marked improvement in growth, feed efficiency and health (Høie and Sandvik)