ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2025 69 IMPROVING GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND PRODUCTIVITY Nucleotides are semi-essential nutrients that support rapid growth, stress resistance, and immune function in animals. During high-demand periods, supplementation improves poultry productivity, enhancing daily weight gain and feed efficiency. Young chickens benefit significantly, as dietary nucleotides boost immune cell production and reduce infection risks, offering an antibiotic alternative. Stressed breeder birds do also benefit from a nucleotide-induced gut health support. Feed additives like organic acids, essential oils, and yeast-based products further optimise growth. Organic acids improve nutrient absorption by lowering gut pH, while essential oils enhance feed efficiency through their antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Yeast-based products can also help to manage mycotoxin and bacterial challenges via their binding capacity. Nucleotide supplementation can also enhance egg production, fertility, and hatchability, increasing live chick output by up to 6%,2 which makes it especially valuable for breeding flocks. ENHANCING GUT HEALTH AND DEVELOPMENT WHILE IMPROVING MEAT QUALITY Farm animals, such as young chickens, have immature digestive systems making early nutrition important for optimal growth. Dietary nucleotides play a large role in promoting intestinal development and maturation, contributing to a healthier gut. Research indicates that supplementation enhances gut flora balance, increases villus height, and improves villus height-to-crypt depth ratios, signifying a more efficient digestive system.3;4 This results in better nutrient absorption, leading to greater body weights and improved carcass yields. Additionally, meat quality might be improved with meat being more tender, redder in colour, and nutritionally superior, containing higher iron levels and lipids with enhanced unsaturation(5-7), contributing to overall meat quality and consumer appeal. The industry should continue to develop innovative yeast-based solutions that contribute to efficient, sustainable livestock production. By incorporating these advanced feeding technologies, producers can optimise animal health and performance, ensuring a more productive and responsible agricultural future. References 1No-time-to-wait-securing-the-future-from-drug-resistant-infections-en.pdf (who.int) 2Bonato, M., Araujo, L., Santos, G., Lohrmann, T., Barbalho, R. (2014) Nucleotide supplementation in the diet of broiler breeders and their effect on hatchability and subsequent progeny performance. International Poultry Scientific Forum, Abstract T131. 3Wu, C., Yang, Z., Song, C., Liang, C., Li, H., Chen, W., Lin, W., Xie, Q. (2018) Effects of dietary yeast nucleotides supplementation on intestinal function, intestinal microbiota, and humoral immunity in specific pathogen-free chickens. Poultry Science 0:1-10 4Jung, B. and Batal, A.B. (2012) Effect of dietary nucleotide supplementation on performance and development of the gastrointestinal tract of broilers. Br. Poult. Sci. 53:98-105 5Chiofalo, B., Lopresti, V., Agazzi, A. Invernizzi, G., Chiofalo, V. and Liotta, L. (2006) Administration of nucleotides in poultry’s diet: effect on the lipid composition of the Pectoralis major muscle. World Poultry Science Journal 62 (suppl): 320-321 6Chiofalo, B., Lo Presti, V., Savoini, G., D’Alessandro, E., Chiofalo, V., and Liotta L. (2011) Nucleotides in broiler chicken diet: effect on breast muscles quality. Czech Journal of Food Science 29: 308- 317 7Zhang, G., Ma, Q., and Ji, C. (2008) Effects of dietary inosinic acid on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and deposition of inosinic acid in broilers. Poultry Science 87:1364-1369
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