In ovo screening of feed additives shows promise

Techniques that expose chick embryos to different compounds are being used in pharmacological and toxicological testing. Now these are being used to identify bioactivity (effects beyond supplying nutrients) of feed ingredients and additives for animal nutrition. By Jean E. de Oliveira Chicken embryos are one of the most studied biological organisms. This is due to the fact that these domesticated species have a short gestation period (incubation) that happens outside the mother’s body, m