ADVERTORIAL 52 FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE February 2026 Modern poultry production is increasingly shaped by factors that are not immediately visible but have a decisive impact on performance. Beyond nutrition and genetics, invisible stressors such as microbial imbalance, low-grade inflammation, dietary toxins, and environmental pressure can quietly undermine efficiency and resilience. Understanding how these hidden challenges interact with the gut microbiome is becoming essential for sustaining animal health and unlocking full production potential. INVISIBLE STRESSORS: WHEN UNSEEN CHALLENGES LIMIT PERFORMANCE Beyond meeting nutritional requirements, modern poultry production requires managing the unseen. Birds are bred for exceptional efficiency, rapid growth and uniform performance. Yet, even under optimal conditions, birds face a variety of invisible stressors that quietly erode this potential. These include heat or crowding, low-grade inflammation, dietary toxins or subtle microbial imbalances. These invisible stressors share one common pathway: the gut microbiome. As a metabolic and immunological “control center”, it influences how well birds can cope with challenges. A stable, diverse microbiome helps maintain intestinal integrity, modulate immune responses and optimize digestion. When this equilibrium is disturbed, e.g. by poor fiber quality, feed contaminants or inflammation, the By A&P Nutrition Photo: zlikovec| Shutterstock
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