Phytogenic feed additives for layers address complex economic, regulatory and ethical pressures while supporting gut health, immunity and performance. By promoting intestinal integrity, microbial balance and nutrient absorption, these natural strategies help layers remain productive longer. With multifunctional bioactive compounds, they offer preventive benefits, reduce veterinary interventions, and enhance egg quality—raising questions about how holistic feeding approaches can reshape sustainability and resilience in intensive poultry systems.
Technical Sales Manager
Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition
Team Lead Technical Sales
Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition
Vice President
Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition
KEY CHALLENGES IN MODERN LAYER PRODUCTION
Egg producers today face a complex mix of economic, regulatory and ethical pressures. With the globally increasing demand for meat and eggs, poultry farmers must optimise feed conversion, growth rates and laying performance. At the same time, there is growing public concern regarding animal welfare, antimicrobial resistance and the environmental footprint of animal production. This has led to stricter regulations on antibiotic use and a shift toward more sustainable and welfare-oriented production models.
These demands are particularly challenging in intensive farming systems, where high stocking densities and intensive feeding can lead to increased stress, digestive disorders and immune suppression. Furthermore, declining egg production and reduced shell stability with increasing laying periods often lead to early culling. This reduces economic and ethical efficiency of layer farming, especially considering rising pullet and rearing costs. Therefore, innovative, holistic strategies are needed to ensure animal health, minimise pharmaceutical interventions and optimise performance throughout the whole laying period. Targeted feeding strategies can support digestion, metabolism and the immune system enabling hens to stay productive for longer. At the same time, extending the productive life of laying hens helps build trust in a more sustainable and animal-friendly poultry industry.
GUT HEALTH AS A CORNERSTONE OF LONGEVITY AND PERFORMANCE
The gastrointestinal tract is central to both nutrient absorption and immune competence. It acts as a barrier against pathogens, a habitat for trillions of microbes and a platform for immune signaling. A stable and diverse microbiota supports nutrient metabolism, synthesises essential compounds and regulates inflammation. In contrast, dysbiosis — the imbalance in the gut microbiome — can lead to subclinical inflammation, impaired digestion and increased disease susceptibility.
Maintaining intestinal integrity and microbial homeostasis is particularly critical to maintain calcium digestion in older laying hens and to support layers during challenging situations such as dietary transitions, pathogen exposure and moulting. A compromised gut often leads to systemic immune activation and diverts energy away from production. Long-term, this contributes to reduced productivity and shortened animal lifespans. Supporting gut health is thus essential not only for immediate performance increase but also for ensuring animal resilience for a longer and more efficient production cycle.
THE ROLE OF PHYTOGENIC FEED ADDITIVES IN SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION
Phytogenic feed additives (PFAs), derived from herbs, spices and other plant-based compounds, offer a natural solution to support animal health without medication. This helps poultry producers meeting residue-free standards and secure access to premium egg markets. The PFAs encompass a wide range of bioactive substances — including essential oils, flavonoids, saponins and bitter compounds — that exert antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and digestive effects.
Unlike synthetic drugs, PFAs tend to act in multifactorial and synergistic ways. For example, they may reduce pathogenic bacterial load, strengthen the immune system, promote beneficial microbes and stimulate digestive secretions — all without contributing to antimicrobial resistance. Numerous studies have demonstrated improvements in performance, feed efficiency and gut morphology in animals fed with PFAs. This makes PFAs a key component for improved animal welfare, longer lifespan and future-proof, sustainable production.
Yet it is when they are combined in the right way that they unleash their full power. Such synergy is the concept of Dr. Eckel Animal Nutrition’s well-approved Anta®Phyt, a phytogenic solution developed in Germany. In various trials, Anta®Phyt has led to an increase in immune cells in poultry. It tackles production challenges and supports gut health, performance and product quality in a natural way. Numerous studies have already demonstrated the positive effects of Anta®Phyt on resilience and productivity in livestock animals.
EXTENDING THE PRODUCTIVE LIFE OF LAYING HENS
A recent field trial with 30,000 white hens assessed the benefits of Anta®Phyt particularly in older laying hens (laying weeks 81–88). During the trial the decline in laying performance after production peak in the Anta®Phyt group was more than 20% lower than in the control group. Additionally, mortality of the hens fed Anta®Phyt was reduced by nearly 25%. Furthermore, the egg quality improved significantly, with fewer dirty and cracked eggs, stronger shells as well as better protein quality. As a result, the share of marketable eggs increased by 0.3% during the trial. The results demonstrate how Anta®Phyt aligns profitability, robust animals and consistent product quality (Figure 1).
CONCLUSION
The future of layer farming depends on balancing productivity with animal health, longevity and public acceptance. Phytogenic feed additives, such as Anta®Phyt, provide a scientifically grounded and natural approach to enhance gut health, productivity and to extend the productive lifespan of layers. This helps egg producers meeting the evolving demands of sustainable, responsible animal production.
