University researchers are using oil that comes from a gland on chickens\' tails to improve survival at fish farms in a discovery that could have global implications for the Atlantic salmon industry.

University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers discovered the oil has anti-inflammatory properties, Wisconsin Public Radio (http://bit.ly/2sYdjVB) reported.

University animal science professor Mark Cook knew from previous research that another anti-inflammatory compound boosted fish growth. He contacted university senior scientist Terence Barry and they ran a test using fathead minnows where they saw an increase in growth.

\"During the experiment all the fish getting the oil survived and many or most of the fish on the control treatments died and that happened with different stressors in different experiments,\" Barry said.

Researchers believe the oil allows fish to focus energy that\'s otherwise spent fighting off infections and parasites in their gut into growth development. It also improves their chances of survival in stressful situations.

Source: Star Tribune // Full Article