The Gut Health Forum 2026, organized by Nanovet Nutrition Pvt. Ltd. in collaboration with Andres Pintaluba S.A. (APSA), Spain, on 16 March in Hyderabad, served as a technical platform focusing on the critical role of gut health in improving poultry performance, immunity, and overall production efficiency.
The keynote session by Dr. H. B. Nataraja, Managing Director, Higain Feeds & Farms Pvt. Ltd., highlighted the evolving challenges in poultry production and the increasing importance of gut health and immune modulation in achieving consistent performance.
Key Insights from the Expert Session
- Rapid genetic improvements in broilers have outpaced gut capacity, leading to a growing imbalance between performance potential and physiological capacity.
- Gut health is the key driver of performance, directly influencing feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality, flock uniformity, and profitability.
- Nutrient diversion towards immune responses, along with the presence of undigested nutrients, significantly reduces growth efficiency.
- The gut–immune axis (GALT) plays a critical role, with chronic inflammation and oxidative stress adversely affecting productivity.
- Coccidiosis, subclinical infections, and anti-nutritional factors continue to be major contributors to compromised gut health.
- Early nutrition, water quality, and robust biosecurity measures are essential for establishing and maintaining gut integrity.
- Feed structure, fibre, and gizzard function are critical for improving digestion and nutrient utilization.
- Protein quality and digestibility are key to preventing microbial imbalance and enteric disorders.
- New generation feed additives are shifting focus from antibiotics to microbiota modulation and gut integrity.
- Functional solutions such as enzymes, organic acids, and advanced molecules (e.g., mono butyrin and mono laurin) support gut health and immune modulation.
- Sustainable poultry production demands a holistic approach integrating nutrition, management practices, animal health, and advanced feed technologies.
Closing Remarks
Gut health remains the key driver of sustainable poultry performance. As production systems evolve, an integrated approach combining nutrition, management, and advanced feed technologies is essential to maintain gut integrity, optimize immunity, and achieve consistent productivity.
