SOON AFTER HATCH, MODERN BROILER CHICKENSBEGIN TORAPIDLY ACCUMULATE EXCESSBODY FAT(ADIPOSE TISSUE). THISWASTESFEED, THE MOST EXPENSIVE COMPONENT OF PRODUCTION,AND DIVERTSVALUABLE ENERGY AWAY FROM MUSCLE GROWTH.ALTHOUGH DIETARY FAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH OBESITY, CERTAINSOURCES OF DIETARY FAT, SUCH AS FISHOIL,INHIBIT THE GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF FAT CELLS.THEOVERARCHING HYPOTHESIS GUIDING THIS PROJECTIS THAT PROVIDING FISH OIL TO THE DEVELOPING BROILER CHICK EMBRYOWILL REDUCE ADIPOSE TISSUE DEVELOPMENT ANDPREVENTTHE ACCUMULATION OF EXCESSBODY FAT AFTER HATCH.FISH OIL CAN BE READILY PROVIDED TO THE CHICK EMBRYO THROUGH THEDIET OF THE HEN, WHICH CONTROLS THETYPES OF FATS IN THE YOLK.WE WILL TEST OUR HYPOTHESIS IN THREE OBJECTIVES: 1.)DETERMINE HOW FISH OIL IN THE HEN DIETAFFECTS FAT CELL DEVELOPMENT IN THE CHICK AND IDENTIFY GENES THATCAUSE THESE EFFECTS; 2.)DETERMINEIF FISH OIL IN THE HEN DIET RECIPROCALLY CONTROLS ADIPOSE AND MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT; AND 3.)DETERMINE IF ADDING FISH OIL TO THEHEN DIETEXERTS PERSISTENT EFFECTSTHATIMPROVE PERFORMANCE AND BODY COMPOSITIONIN BROILERSAT MARKET AGE.WE EXPECT THAT ENRICHING THE HEN DIET INFISH OIL, COMPARED TO CORN OIL,WILLREDUCE BODY FAT AND INCREASE LEAN MUSCLE MASSIN BROILER CHICKS.WE ANTICIPATE THAT WE WILL IDENTIFYNETWORKS OFGENES ANDMETABOLITESTHAT CONTROL THESE DIFFERENCES IN FAT AND MUSCLE DEVELOPMENT.IT IS EXPECTED THAT THENOVELKNOWLEDGE GAINEDFROM THIS PROJECTWILLPRODUCENEW WAYS TO PROMOTE GROWTH AND LIMITFAT ACCUMULATIONIN BROILERS, THUS INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF PRODUCTION.