Gene expression in chickens affected by organic, non-organic feed

In research findings from the Louis Bolk Institute in the Netherlands, organically cultivated feed fed to chickens altered gene expression among 49 genes. Seven of the genes are active in assisting chickens in synthesizing cholesterol, indicating a biological effect from chicken feed type.

Organic feed’s effect on cholesterol in chickens is interesting, as Astrid de Greeff, scientist with Livestock Research in Lelystad, explains, “Cholesterol is a building material for many substances, such as hormones. We don’t know yet what the cholesterol does in the chickens.”

The study is one of the first to find a biological effect on chickens based on whether feed ingredients were organic or not, peaking interest in further research.

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