What are the biggest gut health challenges facing Indian poultry producers today, and how are these challenges evolving under current production systems?
Dr. Rajib: Gut health has become one of the most important determinants of poultry performance in India. Today, producers face several interconnected challenges that directly affect intestinal integrity, nutrient utilization, and overall flock productivity.
One of the most significant concerns is mycotoxin contamination. Feed ingredients such as maize, oilseed meals, and alternative raw materials are frequently contaminated with mycotoxins, which damage the intestinal lining, impair nutrient absorption, suppress immunity, and increase susceptibility to enteric diseases.
Another major challenge is necrotic enteritis and dysbiosis. As the poultry industry reduces reliance on antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), the incidence of Clostridium perfringens-associated enteritis has increased, making effective gut health management even more critical.
Coccidiosis, both clinical and subclinical, continues to compromise intestinal integrity, reduce feed efficiency, and negatively affect flock performance. At the same time, greater dependence on alternative feed ingredients introduces higher fibre levels, anti-nutritional factors, and greater variability in nutrient composition, all of which can adversely affect gut function.
Modern intensive production systems add further complexity. Heat stress, vaccination programmes, high stocking densities, and environmental stressors disrupt the gut microbiota, weaken the intestinal barrier, and reduce the bird’s ability to utilize nutrients efficiently.
As Indian poultry production adopts higher-performing genetics, reduced antibiotic use, and more sustainable production practices, gut health management has evolved from treating individual diseases to maintaining a resilient intestinal ecosystem. Today’s successful programmes integrate balanced nutrition, targeted feed additives, biosecurity, coccidiosis control, and effective mycotoxin management to support microbiome stability, intestinal integrity, immunity, and long-term profitability.
Rising raw material and feed costs are forcing producers to optimize every nutritional intervention. How can feed additives be strategically integrated to maximize efficiency and profitability?
Dr. Rajib: Feed accounts for the largest share of poultry production costs, making nutritional efficiency more important than ever. Rather than viewing feed additives as isolated products, producers should integrate them strategically to improve nutrient utilization and overall flock performance.
Feed enzymes enhance nutrient digestibility and allow birds to extract greater value from every kilogram of feed. Functional gut health additives—including probiotics, organic acids, and protected butyrate—help maintain intestinal integrity, improve microbial balance, and enhance feed conversion efficiency. At the same time, effective mycotoxin management and antioxidant supplementation minimize performance losses associated with feed contamination and environmental stress.
The emphasis should always be on scientifically validated additives that consistently improve feed conversion ratio (FCR), growth performance, health, and economic returns. Selecting the right combination of nutritional solutions enables producers to maximize profitability while maintaining sustainable production under increasingly challenging market conditions.
You have described intestinal barrier integrity as a cornerstone of gut health. What are the major factors compromising this barrier, and how can nutrition help restore and maintain it?
Dr Pascal: The intestinal barrier is fundamental to poultry health because it acts as the interface between the external environment within the gut and the bird’s internal physiology. A healthy intestinal barrier supports efficient nutrient absorption, prevents the entry of pathogens and toxins, and helps regulate immune function. However, under modern commercial production systems, several factors continuously challenge its integrity.
Enteric pathogens such as Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli can damage intestinal epithelial cells and disrupt tight junctions, resulting in inflammation and microbial imbalance. Poorly digestible proteins, excessive non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), and mycotoxins further irritate the intestinal lining and increase gut permeability. Undigested nutrients also provide substrates for pathogenic bacteria, worsening dysbiosis.
Environmental pressures—including heat stress, poor litter quality, and high stocking density—trigger physiological stress responses that weaken mucosal integrity and reduce immune competence. Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress further damage epithelial cells and tight junction proteins, while the reduction in antibiotic growth promoter use has increased the need for nutritional strategies that naturally support gut resilience.
Nutrition plays a central role in maintaining intestinal integrity. Highly digestible feed ingredients and balanced amino acid formulations reduce undigested substrates in the gut, while enzymes such as xylanases and phytases improve nutrient availability and digestive efficiency.
Functional feed additives provide additional support. Probiotics and prebiotics promote a balanced intestinal microbiota and stimulate the production of beneficial metabolites as Niacin or panthotenate. Protected butyrate and other short-chain fatty acids deliver anti-inflammatory effects throughout the intestinal tract while strengthening tight junctions. NSP-degrading enzymes and phytase reduce the anti-nutritional effects of fibre and phytate, improving nutrient utilization and gut function.
Effective mycotoxin management is equally important. Mycotoxin binders and biotransformation technologies help protect intestinal tissues from toxin-induced damage. In addition, vitamins A, D, and E, together with trace minerals, especially organic selenium, help maintain antioxidant balance, epithelial integrity, and immune competence. Amino acids such as methionine, cysteine, glutamine, and threonine are essential for mucin synthesis, epithelial renewal, and antioxidant defence.
Maintaining intestinal barrier integrity therefore requires a comprehensive nutritional strategy that combines high-quality raw materials with targeted functional additives. Such an integrated approach improves resilience against production challenges while supporting sustainable, high-performance poultry production.
You have emphasized the importance of precision delivery of active ingredients. How can advancements in feed technology improve the efficacy and consistency of gut health additives under commercial conditions?
Dr Pascal: The effectiveness of gut health additives depends not only on the active ingredient itself but also on its ability to reach the correct site within the gastrointestinal tract in an active form. Precision delivery has therefore become a key factor in ensuring consistent performance under commercial production conditions.
Many feed additives—including probiotics, enzymes, and medium- and short-chain fatty acids—face significant challenges before they can exert their intended effects. High pelleting temperatures may reduce biological activity, prolonged storage can cause oxidation or moisture damage, and variations in gut pH, digestive enzymes, and transit time influence where and when active compounds are released. Interactions with the feed matrix may also reduce their availability, contributing to inconsistent field performance.
Recent advances in feed technology are helping overcome these limitations. Microencapsulation and protected delivery systems shield sensitive ingredients from heat, oxygen, and moisture during feed manufacture and storage. This is particularly valuable for heat-sensitive enzymes and protected butyrate products.
Innovative carrier systems based on lipid matrices, mineral supports, or polysaccharide coatings provide controlled release of active compounds throughout the digestive tract. For butyrate-based products, effective protection is especially important to ensure that adequate concentrations reach the distal intestine, where they exert their greatest biological benefits.
Improvements in enzyme engineering and thermostable formulations have also enhanced enzyme survival during pelleting. Meanwhile, advances in feed manufacturing allow more accurate dosing and uniform distribution of additives, ensuring consistent intake by every bird.
These technological developments improve bioavailability, enhance the consistency of production results, reduce the required inclusion rates of certain additives, and strengthen birds’ resilience to nutritional, environmental, and pathogenic stress.
As poultry production continues to move towards reduced antibiotic use and greater production efficiency, precision delivery technologies will play an increasingly important role. By ensuring that active ingredients are protected and released at their intended site of action, modern feed technologies help unlock the full potential of nutritional interventions while supporting sustainable poultry production.
With an increasing number of feed additives entering the market, what criteria should nutritionists consider when evaluating the effectiveness of different delivery technologies?
Dr. Tim: The first step is to clearly define the objective of supplementation. Nutritionists and veterinarians should identify the specific challenge they are trying to address, establish measurable performance targets, and determine how success will be evaluated. Without a clear understanding of the production constraints and desired outcomes, selecting the right feed additive becomes largely a matter of trial and error.
Once these objectives are established, it is important to engage with additive suppliers and review the scientific evidence supporting their products. Delivery technology should be evaluated not only on the basis of the active ingredient but also on its ability to protect the compound during feed processing, maintain stability during storage, and deliver it effectively to the intended site within the gastrointestinal tract.
Well-designed delivery systems should demonstrate consistent performance under commercial conditions, be supported by robust scientific data, and provide measurable improvements in bird health, feed efficiency, and overall profitability. Ultimately, the most effective solution is one that aligns with the production goals of the farm while delivering a clear return on investment.
Your research suggests that butyrate formulations capable of increasing caecal butyrate concentrations offer superior protection against Salmonella Enteritidis colonization. Why is the caecum such a critical target, and how can nutritionists ensure effective site-specific delivery of butyrate?
Dr. Tim: Salmonella Enteritidis primarily colonizes the hindgut of monogastric animals, particularly the caecum. Increasing butyrate concentrations in this region creates an environment that is less favourable for Salmonella survival and colonization. Research has shown that butyrate can downregulate bacterial genes involved in colonization and virulence, thereby reducing the pathogen’s ability to establish itself within the intestine.
However, these benefits depend on delivering sufficient concentrations of butyrate to the site where the bacteria reside. Conventional butyrate sources are often absorbed in the upper digestive tract before reaching the hindgut, limiting their effectiveness.
To achieve site-specific activity, nutritionists should select well-protected butyrate formulations that resist early absorption and release the active compound in the distal intestine and caecum. In addition to direct delivery, certain nutritional strategies can stimulate beneficial caecal microbiota to produce endogenous butyrate, further enhancing gut health and supporting natural resistance against pathogenic bacteria.
Mycotoxins are often referred to as ‘hidden disruptors’ of gut health because their effects are not always immediately visible. How do mycotoxins impair intestinal integrity and immune function, and what constitutes an ideal gut health management programme to mitigate these challenges?
Dr. Damien: Mycotoxins are often described as hidden disruptors because they can compromise gut health even at concentrations below current regulatory limits. Although clinical signs may not always be evident, these toxins can significantly impair intestinal function, immune competence, and overall productivity.
Several mycotoxins, including deoxynivalenol (DON), aflatoxins, and ochratoxin A, damage the intestinal barrier by disrupting tight junction proteins such as claudins and occludins. This increases intestinal permeability, commonly referred to as “leaky gut,” while promoting oxidative stress and enterocyte apoptosis. At the same time, mycotoxins interfere with both innate and adaptive immune responses by altering cytokine production, suppressing immunoglobulin synthesis, and disrupting gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT). Collectively, these effects increase susceptibility to inflammation, secondary infections, and reduced production performance.
An effective gut health management programme should therefore adopt a preventive, integrated approach. This begins with predictive risk assessment to anticipate mycotoxin contamination, followed by rigorous quality control of raw materials using reliable analytical methods. Depending on the type and concentration of mycotoxins present, scientifically validated mycotoxin deactivators should be incorporated into the feeding programme.
Equally important is nutritional support aimed at strengthening intestinal barrier function and promoting a balanced gut microbiota. Functional feed ingredients that support epithelial integrity, microbial stability, and immune resilience help counteract both the direct and indirect effects of mycotoxin exposure.
Many feed additives are marketed as alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters (AGPs), yet their efficacy varies considerably. How can a better understanding of their mechanisms of action help producers make more informed and targeted decisions?
Dr. Damien: A clear understanding of how feed additives work enables producers to move beyond a trial-and-error approach and adopt solutions tailored to the specific challenges within their production systems.
Different additives act through distinct biological mechanisms. Some primarily modulate the gut microbiota, others strengthen intestinal barrier function, improve nutrient digestibility, reduce oxidative stress, or influence immune responses. Understanding these mechanisms allows nutritionists to select products that address the underlying causes of performance losses rather than simply treating their symptoms.
Mechanistic knowledge also helps predict how additives will perform across different diets, environmental conditions, and disease challenges. This improves consistency, reduces unnecessary supplementation, and increases confidence in product selection.
As the poultry industry continues to reduce antibiotic use, evidence-based nutritional strategies have become increasingly important. Selecting feed additives based on their scientifically proven mode of action enables producers to optimize bird health, improve production efficiency, and enhance sustainability while maintaining profitability.
Closing note:
The insights shared by Dr. Rajib Upadhyaya, Dr. Pascal Thiery, Dr. Tim Goossens, and Dr. Damien Prévéraud reflect the key discussions at the Adisseo Gut Health Academy held in Kolkata. The programme provided a collaborative platform for poultry professionals to explore the latest scientific advances in gut health, precision nutrition, feed integrity, and sustainable production practices, bridging laboratory research with practical field applications.
