Assessment of the Safety and
Efficacy of Hemp for Poultry Diets
J.D. House, E. Goldberg, N. Gakhar, M. Aliani
Department of Human Nutritional Sciences
University of Manitoba
11/17/2010
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Outline
• Current Status of Hemp Use in Livestock Rations
– Canada
– European Union
• Preliminary Studies with Laying Hens
• Canadian Agriculture Adaptation Program Grant
– Partnership between CHTA and University of
Manitoba
– Develop data in support of safety and efficacy of
hemp for poultry rations
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Hemp Products:
Food and Feed Ingredients
Hemp Seed
Hemp Nuts
DM%
Fat%
Protein%
Hemp Oil
NDF%
Ash%
GE (MJ/kg)
Hemp Seeds
94.1
30.4
24.0
32.1
4.8
24.2
Hemp Nuts
95.1
46.7
35.9
7.8
6.4
25.3
Hemp Protein Flour
95.1
10.2
40.7
30.5
6.7
20.4
Hemp By-Product
94.9
10.3
12.7
64.9
3.9
20.2
House et al., 2010. J. Agric. Food Chem.58: 11801-11807
Fatty Acid Profile of Hemp Oil
Fatty Acid
Palmitic
Palmitoleic
Stearic
Oleic
Linoleic
Gamma-Linolenic
Alpha - Linolenic
Arachidic
Stearidonic
Gadoleic
Behenic
Lignoceric
Nervonic
C16:0
C16:1
C18:0
C18:1
C18:2
C18:3 n-6
C18:3 n-3
C20:0
C18:4
C20:1
C22:0
C24:0
C24:1
% of Total
5.90
0.12
2.61
12.21
55.86
3.17
17.27
0.74
1.18
0.38
0.31
0.14
0.11
Std. Dev.
0.52
0.03
0.22
1.91
0.55
0.60
1.77
0.08
0.29
0.03
0.04
0.03
0.04
Varietal differences in Fatty Acid Content of Hemp. Przybylski, R. Unpublished
Alpha-Linolenic Acid
Content of Plant Oils
60
Alpha-Linolenic (% )
50
40
30
20
10
0
ALA
Flax
53.3
Hemp
17.3
Canola
9.1
Corn
1.2
Sunflower
0.2
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
L
VA
TR
P
TH
R
ET
+C
YS
PH
E+
TY
R
M
LY
S
LE
U
IL
E
0
HI
S
Amino Acid Content (mg/g protein)
Amino Acid Composition of
Hemp Seed
(mg/g
Whole Hemp
SeedProtein)
House et al., 2010. J. Agric. Food Chem.58: 11801-11807
Hemp as a Feed Ingredient
Summary
• Whole hemp seed offers high protein and
energy content, making it attractive from a
feed formulation standpoint
• High levels of ALA offer potential for hemp
seed and oil to be used for the production of
omega-3 eggs and meat
• Challenge:
– Hemp is not an approved feed ingredient in
Canada
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Excerpt from the Regulatory Guidance (RG-1) –
Canadian Food Inspection Agency
“In Canada, livestock feeds are regulated, as per the
federal Feeds Act and Regulations, by the CFIA. All
single ingredient feeds manufactured, sold or
imported into Canada must be approved and listed in
either Schedule IV or Schedule V of the Feeds
Regulations. At the present time, hemp products are
not approved as livestock feed ingredients in
Canada. Each hemp product intended to be used as
a livestock single ingredient feed (e.g., hemp meal,
hemp oil, seeds) will require separate approval.”
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/feebet/regdir/regdire.shtml
Process for Registration of
Hemp Seed Products
• Regulatory Guidance Process
Administrative information
– Labeling
– Ingredient Description
– Ingredient Composition
– Manufacturing Process
– Safety Data Requirements
– Efficacy Data Requirements
• Minimum of 3 studies required
http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/anima/feebet/regdir/sect3_10e.shtml
Hemp in Livestock Rations
Author
Gibb et. al.
Year
2005
Species
Steers
Hessle et. al.
2008
Steers
1999
Cows
1999
Lambs
2008
Steers
Mustafa et. al.
Turner et. al.
Treatment (s)
0, 9 or 14% hemp
seed
Hempseed cake
Hemp meal, canola
meal, heated canola
meal and borage
meal
Hemp meal replaced
canola meal by 0, 25,
50, 75 and 100%
Hemp meal
Conclusion
Feeding hemp seed did not affect dry matter
intake, average daily gain or carcass traits
Hempseed cake as a protein feed results in
similar production and also improved rumen
function compared with soybean meal
Total available crude protein of hemp meal was
reported to be similar to other treatments
Hemp meal did not affect voluntary intake or
total-tract nutrient digestibility coefficients.
Hemp meal may be used to replace canola meal
with no detrimental effects on nutrient
utilization by sheep
Steers fed hemp seed cake had lower saturated
fatty acid and higher PUFA levels in meat
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Hemp in Livestock Rations
Author
Webster et. al.
Year
2000
Species
Fish
Treatment
Hemp meal in comparison to
fish meal, soyabean meal, bone
meat meal
Karimi and
Hayatghaibi
Al-Khalifa et.
al.
2006
Rats
Hempseed
2007
Rats
5 or 10% hempseed
Richard et. al.
2007
Rats
5% or 10% ground hempseed
Kaul et. al.
2008
Humans Two 1gm capsules of placebo,
fish oil, flaxseed oil or
hempseed oil per day
Conclusion
Percentage weight gain, percentage survival,
percentage fillet weight and proximate
compositions of fillets were not significantly
different among treatments.
Short term hempseed feeding improves blood
lipid and protein profile
Dietary hempseed can provide significant
cardioprotective effects during postischemic
reperfusion. This appears to be due to its highly
enriched PUFA content
ALA and LA levels increased significantly in a
concentration-dependent manner in the rats fed
with the hempseed. Platelet aggregation and the
rate of aggregation were significantly inhibited
by both 5% and 10% hempseed supplementation
No significant difference in lipid parameters
(TC, HDL-C, LDL-C and TG) among the four
groups
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Nutrition trials with Layers
Egg production (eggs/hen/d)
Feed efficiency (g feed/g egg)
0.92
2
0.9
1.95
0.88
1.9
0.86
1.85
0.84
1.8
0.82
1.75
0.8
0.78
1.7
0
50
100
200
0
50
100
200
Diet (g Hemp Seed Meal/kg diet)
Diet (g Hemp Seed Meal/kg diet)
Feed consumption (g/bird/d)
104
103.5
103
102.5
102
101.5
101
100.5
100
0
50
100
200
Diet (g Hemp Seed Meal/kg diet)
Silversides and Lefrancois, 2005, British Poultry Science , 46(2) ; 231-235
Situation in Europe
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Towards Registration in Canada
• Safety and Efficacy Studies
• Funding from the following is committed to
addressing the need for data:
– Canadian Hemp Trade Alliance
– Poultry Industry Council
– Manitoba Innovation, Energy and Mines STIC Fund
– Canadian Agriculture Adapation Program (AAFC)
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Studies to Date
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Study Design
• 48 Bovan hens
– 19 weeks of age
• Housed in individual
metabolism cages for 12 weeks
• Wheat/Barley/Soy-based diets
– Formulated to meet hen
requirements
48 Bovan hens (19
weeks)
Control
Hempseed oil
(4, 8, 12%)
Hempseed
(10, 20%)
Study Design
• Measurements
– Production
– Egg quality
– Fatty acid analysis
– Indices of bird health and welfare
– Sensory analysis of cooked eggs
Results – Hemp Seed (HS)
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Results – Hemp Oil (HO)
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Results
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Sensory Evaluation
• Sensory analysis conducted
with trained panel
– Cooked egg product
– Attributes included aroma
and flavour
• No significant differences
on sensory parameters due
to hemp inclusion
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention
Next Steps
• Complete studies with laying hens
• Initiate and complete studies with broiler
chickens
• Project completion: March 31, 2014.
2011 CHTA National Hemp Convention