_animals_  
_Article_  
**Effect of Different Percentage of _Camelina sativa_  
**Cake in Laying Hens Diet: Performance, Welfare, and Eggshell Quality**  
**[PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 2, [PERSON] 1, [PERSON] 3, [PERSON] 3,**  
**[PERSON] 4, [PERSON] 4, [PERSON] 3, [PERSON] 4 and [PERSON] 1,*2**  
1 Department of Environmental Science and Policy, Universita degli Studi di Milano, via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.L.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (L.F)  
2 Department of Veterinary Medicine, Universita degli Studi di Milano, via [PERSON] 6, 26900 Lodi, Italy; [EMAIL_ADDRESS]  
3 National Research Council, Institute of Sciences of Food Production, via G. Celoria 2, 20133 Milano, Italy; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (G.B.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (S.P.); [PERSON]S] (M.B.)  
4 National Research Council, Institute of Agricultural Biology and Biotechnology, via [PERSON] 15, 20133 Milano, Italy; [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (I.G.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (R.R.); [EMAIL_ADDRESS] (R.R.)  
* Correspondence: [PERSON]eceived: 20 July 2020; Accepted: 8 August 2020; Published: 11 August 2020  
**Simple Summary:** Nowadays, it is of primary importance to find alternative and sustainable protein sources for animal feeding, taking into account environmental sustainability and animal welfare and production. _Camelina sativa_, as an alternative source of protein in animal feeding, seems to be a good candidate, but its use is limited by the presence of antinutritional compounds. In this study, a amelina breeding line with a low level of glucosionolates was tested for 31 weeks, in order to verify if the inclusion of up to 20% of amelina cake, in the diet of laying hens, could have an adverse effect on the production performance, eggshell quality, and animal welfare and health. Results demonstrated that the performance was maintained, as well as health and welfare, while eggshell quality slightly improved when hens got older.  
**Abstract:** Although amelina [_Camelina sativa_ ([PERSON]] is a good source of protein, antioxidants, and polyunsaturated fatty acids, its antinutritional compounds limit its use in animal feeding. The aim of this study was to verify the effect of feeding laying hens with up to 20% of amelina cake from a breeding line containing a low level of glucosionolates on performance, welfare, and eggshell quality. Two hundred and forty Hy-Line(r) hens from 18 to 51 weeks of age were divided into three treatments: control (C), amelina cake 10% (CAM10), and amelina cake 20% (CAM20). Egg number was recorded daily, while egg weight, feed consumption, and mortality were recorded weekly. At 24 and 43 weeks of hens age, shell resistance to fracture was measured. Our results demonstrate no detrimental effects for CAM10 and CAM20 diets on feed intake, growth performance, and welfare. No difference in egg production was detected among the diets. The significant (\(p<\)0.05) interaction of diet and age factors suggest that the addition of amelina cake, up to 20%, likely protects the eggshell of older hens. Our findings confirm that amelina cake might be an alternative and sustainable protein source for hens.  
**Keywords:** laying hen; amelina cake; fatty acids; antinutritional compounds; shell stiffness; volatile organic compounds