FEEDING BROILERS

Broiler health is big business!

Better health and welfare with less antibiotic use in broilers is becoming a more important parameter for food producers and consumers worldwide.

Ensuring healthy broilers is the first and most important step in reducing antibiotic use while maintaining good production results. A healthy broiler has a diverse, balanced and stable gut flora along with a functional immune system. Both of which are influenced by the quality of feed.

Challenges in broiler nutrition

Consumer demands and legislation

As poultry becomes the largest meat production industry by 2020, the focus on production methods increase. In-feed antibiotics need to be limited to prevent a build-up of antimicrobial resistance, both in chickens and humans. At the same time, consumers demand welfare and antibiotic-free alternatives is increasing.

 Better gut health  

Improving health means improving the gut flora and the immune system’s ability to protect the bird against pathogenic bacteria.

Reducing bacteria and parasites

A long list of bacteria, parasites and fungi affect broiler health, wellbeing and production performance. Infection caused by, for example, E. coli or Clostridium perfringens is costly for the broiler performance. Both bacteria naturally occur in the gut microbiome but cause illness when the immune system is weakened.

Diarrhea in broiler production

Undigested protein due to bad feed quality with low digestibility and high antinutritional factors causes watery diarrhea, leading to a moist bedding. This type of diarrhea is often referred as Rapid Feed Passage. Is far less severe as compared to the parasite Coccidiosis, which is a common cause of diarrhea in broilers. Coccidiosis diarrhea is characterized by blood and mucous in the stools. Nevertheless, continuous Rapid Feed passage causes weight loss and sickness.

Avoiding wet feet

Foot Pad Lesions are much more likely to occur in a moist bedding with diarrhea. Broilers with footpad lesions are more susceptible to pathogens. Keeping the bedding dry and with a low count of pathogens is a key challenge in broiler production.

How feed influence broilers

A diverse and balanced microbiome

A healthy bird has a diverse and balanced gut flora where no pathogenic bacteria dominate the composition. The gut flora or microbiota is influenced by the quality of feed provided. Functional feed proteins can support the presence of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Both research and in vivo trials show that feed can increase the number of beneficial bacteria while repressing pathogens.

A well-equipped gut

Carefully designed functional feed proteins promote the development of the broiler gut. A well-developed gut absorbs and uses nutrients better. A fully developed gut lining consists of long and dense villi and crypts and thick gut mucosa. The gut lining works as armour against bacteria entering the bloodstream.

Bacteria reduction

Pathogens are a real challenge in broiler production. Choose a complementary functional feed rich in anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory compounds.

The complementary feed EP199 is based on fermented rapeseed and seaweed containing a mix of prebiotic fiber digestible minerals, and more than 1.000 bioactive metabolites supporting gut development. The composition of all these compounds results in a modulation of the gut, its microbiota and its ability to prevent infections by a responsive immune system.

The complementary feed EP200 is based on fermented soybean meal, a highly digestible protein without antinutritional factors. When combining EP199 and EP200 in the feed formulation, both growth performance and gut health is supported.