A combination of postbiotics derived from yeast fermentation and essential oil compounds significantly improves broiler chicken gut health, resulting in 5.5% higher body weight, better feed conversion, and increased breast meat yield across three independent trials.
- 5.5% increase in body weight and a five-point improvement in feed conversion by day 42 when broilers received the postbiotic-essential oil blend
- Complementary action: Postbiotics work in the hind gut to balance microbiomes, while essential oils increase enzyme activity in the upper gut for better nutrient absorption
- 0.86% increase in breast meat yield with the additive combination across pooled trial data
- Reduced footpad lesions observed in treated birds due to less undigested nutrients reaching litter and lowering ammonia exposure
- Consistent results beyond broilers: Similar improvements in feed conversion and body weight demonstrated in turkeys and across multiple commercial regions
Feeding a combination of postbiotics and essential oil compounds corresponded with measurable gains in broiler body weight, feed efficiency and breast meat yield across three independent trials, according to a study published in the journal Animals.
The researchers set out to determine whether combining a postbiotic derived from Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation with a blend of essential oil compounds would reliably support gut health and, in turn, improve growth, feed efficiency and carcass quality across varying production conditions.
How the two ingredients work together
According to study co-author, Vivek Kuttappan, technology lead, postbiotics in poultry, Cargill Animal Nutrition, postbiotics and a blend of essential oil compounds each act on the gut through distinct pathways but tend to offer narrower benefits when used on their own. Combining complementary additives, he said, widens that coverage across more of the broiler digestive tract.
For example, postbiotics primarily act in the hind gut and shift the gut microbiome toward a more favorable balance, while essential oil compounds act in the upper gut, increasing enzyme activity earlier in digestion, improving how well birds absorb nutrients further along the gut.
"You get complete coverage from the upper gut to the hind gut," Kuttappan said.
Trial design and results
To evaluate the combination, researchers ran three separate trials using commercial broiler strains, comparing birds fed a standard diet to birds fed the same diet with the additive included. Each trial used 24 replicate groups per treatment, with 16 to 25 birds per group.
By day 42, treated birds showed significantly better body weight and cumulative feed conversion than untreated birds. Pooled data across the three trials showed a 5.5% increase in body weight, a five-point improvement in feed conversion, higher feed intake and a 0.86% increase in breast meat yield.
One trial evaluated the incidence of footpad lesions and found fewer lesions among treated birds. Kuttappan attributed the improvement in gut health to the reduced amount of undigested nutrient reaching the litter, lowering the ammonia-related skin irritation that causes such lesions.
Beyond broilers
Kuttappan said additional trials conducted internally and in commercial settings across multiple regions produced consistent positive results in broilers, reinforcing the findings reported in the published study. Comparable improvements in feed conversion and body weight were also observed in turkeys.
