The University of Vermont & State Agricultural College was awarded a $154,000 Project Grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program. The purpose of this 1-year research project is to determine if feeding layer hens a dairy byproduct, buttermilk, will change the nutritional composition of eggs, impact hen performance, and assess the cost-effectiveness of this practice. The central hypothesis is that feeding buttermilk to layers will increase the nutritional value of eggs, serve as a safe feed additive without adversely affecting layer performance, and be a cost-effective feed additive. The expected outcome is that buttermilk-sourced nutrients will accumulate within egg yolks and that there will be an optimal dietary amount of buttermilk for maximizing this enrichment in eggs. This research aims to provide a basis for utilizing buttermilk as a feed ingredient to enhance the nutritional value of animal products, improve human nutrition outcomes, and improve the sustainability of the dairy industry.
Generated 3/4/25, 8:22 AM