Supporting poultry resilience from within: Nutrition-driven immunity and gut health

Supporting poultry resilience requires strategies that strengthen immunity, enhance gut health, and reduce vulnerability to stressors and infections. Nutritional approaches involving short- and medium-chain fatty acids, selenium, and butyrate demonstrate potential to boost vaccine responses, modulate oxidative stress, and protect intestinal integrity. Yet their full potential and integration within broader health programs require deeper understanding.

Poultry production has become more efficient over the last decades. At the same time, this requires extra care to prevent stressors and infectious diseases to keep the flocks healthy and productive. In addition to traditional practices like vaccination strategies and biosecurity protocols, numerous emerging solutions such as the supplementation of certain feed additives in animal diets are evaluated for their potential to enhance animal health and resilience. Adisseo strongly believes that animal nutrition plays a crucial role in supporting three steps: ensuring optimal immune response to vaccination, facilitating a good immune response during infection and limiting secondary infections (Figure 1). To achieve these goals, Adisseo has selected specific solutions for each step (Table 1).

LEVEL 1: BENEFITS OF USING LAURIC ACID DURING VACCINATION
Short- and medium-chain fatty acids (SCFAs and MCFAs) and their derivatives are well-established nutritional strategies for enhancing and supporting immune function. Among these, lauric acid (C12), a prominent MCFA, is particularly recognised for its potent antiviral, antibacterial, and immune-modulating properties. These characteristics make lauric acid an excellent candidate for promoting a robust immune response during vaccination and infection, as well as for reducing the risk of secondary infections associated with viral illnesses.

Lauric acid is often esterified to form its glyceride derivative, as lauric glycerides demonstrate significantly greater biological activity in neutralising viruses and bacteria compared to free lauric acid (Lieberman et al., 2006). The glycerides of lauric acid are commercialised by Adisseo as a feed additive under the name FRA^® C12. Many trials with FRA^® C12 to date have confirmed its antiviral activities and abilities to trigger the humoral and adaptive immune response after vaccination or during viral challenges.

HIGHER TITRES, STRONGER IMMUNE RESPONSES
Current vaccination programs used in poultry production are often based on administering live attenuated viral strains. So when we apply a feed additive with anti-viral properties (FRA^® C12) on top of vaccination, what does this mean? It should be complementary and not interfere (counteract) with the vaccine.

In a study by De Gussem et al. (2021), the effect of FRA^® C12 Dry on infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) vaccination was evaluated in Ross 308 broilers. This study showed that FRA^® C12 (at 3 kg/ton) did not influence oral IBV vaccination efficacy but, in contrast, has the potency to stimulate the (secondary) immune response that is elicited upon vaccination. A substantial increase in average IBV titre values was detected (Figure 2). FRA^® C12 also stimulated INFγ, a type 1 cytokine that plays an important role in activating cellular mechanisms that lead to enhanced adaptive immune responses against (viral) pathogens.

Recent work by Adisseo (Mellouk et al., 2024) delved deeper into the effects of FRA^® C12 on the immune responses when IBV vaccination was used. This study showed that with the addition of FRA^® C12, the birds displayed a stronger immune response on top of the vaccination. The primary IBV-specific humoral immune response was more pronounced, as shown by a higher anti IBV titre at day 7. In addition, the T-lymphocyte mediated cellular immune response was more effective, also increasing INFγ excretion levels.

Supplementing drinking water with lauric glycerides showed similar positive results when used during Newcastle Disease (NCD) and IBV vaccination. The results were compared with the data from the negative control group and a group of broilers that received an antibiotic growth promoter (AGP). Dosed at 2 litres per 1000 litre drinking water, FRA^® C12 Liquid significantly improved weight gain, feed intake and FCR compared to the negative control group. In addition, this dosage also increased antibody titres for NCD and IBV were increased in broilers, suggesting an improved immune response (Figure 3).

LEVEL 2: USE OF LAURIC ACID AND SELENIUM DURING INFECTION
FRA^® C12 supports the so-called cell-mediated immune response and INFγ secretion that play crucial roles in the immune response to viral infections and in particularly in fighting off viruses. This means that when FRA^® C12 is used during infection, the infection time can possibly be reduced.

Several viral diseases increase oxidative stress, which can trigger more health and performance issues. Many antioxidants have been proven to prevent oxidative stresses, enhance the immune responses, and inhibit virus replication. Selisseo^® is Addiseo’s proven antioxidant. Selisseo^® contains 100% hydroxy-selenomethionine (OH-SeMet), a pure and highly available form of organic selenium that helps animals combat oxidative stress during infection.

LEVEL 3: MULTIPLE SOLUTIONS AGAINST SECONDARY INFECTIONS
To prevent secondary infections during challenging periods, it is key to support gut health parameters. A healthy gut, composed of a healthy inner lining and a balanced microbiome, is better equipped to fight off infections and prevent gut inflammation, compared to damaged gut barrier function (which is prone to leaking pathogens from the gut into the bloodstream). The gut also plays a key role in the animal’s immune system.

Adimix^® Precision is Adisseo’s precision delivery coated sodium butyrate that boosts intestinal development and resilience and reduces intestinal pathogen contamination, ultimately improving performance. A recent study in China (Xia et al., 2025) with 540 Hy-Line Brown Hens of 45 weeks of age assessed the benefits of supplying Adimix^® at a dosage of 1 kg / T of feed. It was shown that Adimix^® helps to reduce pro-inflammatory signals in the liver and support the immune response in the serum (Figure 4). Performance parameters were also improved.

Other powerful nutritional solutions from Adisseo to support gut health are FRA^® Gut Protect and FRA^® Butyrin Hybrid. FRA^® Gut Protect combines the antibacterial activity of short- and medium chain fatty acids with the benefits of C12 glycerides on the immune response and with tributyrin on gut development and integrity. FRA^® Butyrin Hybrid combines the benefits of glycerides of butyric acid on intestinal integrity and pathogen control in one unique concept. It stimulates intestinal health and development and improves animal performance.

CONCLUSION
As resilience to disease becomes increasingly vital for the profitability of animal production, strengthening animals’ immune defences is more important than ever. Supported by a science driven mindset and extensive research in animal health and immunity, Adisseo provides a comprehensive portfolio of solutions designed to promote a safe and nutritionally balanced diet that not only meets the animal’s requirements, but also increases bird resilience. Lauric acid-based products such as FRA^® C12 have enormous potential to enhance poultry resilience towards pathogens. In addition, nutritional solutions that include a combination of short- and medium chain fatty acids (such as FRA^® Gut Protect, FRA^® Butyrin Hybrid), precision targeted butyrate (Adimix^®) and selenium (Selisseo^®) have been shown to support immunity from within.

While feed additives cannot cure disease, they can significantly enhance resilience, support immune balance and ultimately contribute to better health and performance outcomes in poultry. Furthermore, these nutritional solutions reduce dependency on pharmaceuticals, minimise resistance issues and environmental impact.

References
1.De Gussem, A. Dedeurwaerder, I. Christiaens, E.P.C.W. Damen, O. Dansen. Applied Research Note: Alpha-monolaurin stimulates the antibody response elicited upon infectious bronchitis vaccination of broilers. Journal of Applied Poultry Research, Volume 30, Issue 2, 2021, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.japr.2021.100153
2.Lieberman, Shari & Enig, Mary & Preuss, Harry. (2006). A Review of Monolaurin and Lauric Acid: Natural Virucidal and Bactericidal Agents. Alternative and Complementary Therapies. 12. 310-314. https://doi.org/10.1089/act.2006.12.310
3.Amine Mellouk, Virginie Michel, Olga Lemâle, Tim Goossens & Jessika Consuegra. Glycerides of lauric acid supplementation in the chicken diet enhances the humoral and cellular immune response to infectious bronchitis virus. Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology, Volume 274, 2024, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetimm.2024.110802
4.Zhiyuan Xia , Guoxin Gong , Ronghui Huang, Tim Goossens, Olga Lemâle , Denise Cardoso , Barbara Mallmann , Ling Zhao , Jintao Wei & Jiang Deng. Butyric acid-based products, alone or in combination with hydroxy-selenomethionine, improve performance of laying hens in post-peak period by modulating their antioxidant, metabolic and immune status. Poultry Science 2025 Apr;104(4):104840. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psj.2025.104840

About Dr. Tim Goossens
After studying Biotechnology at Ghent University (Belgium), Dr. Tim Goossens subsequently worked as an academic researcher in the Laboratory of Molecular Biotechnology at the University of Antwerp. He then moved to the KU Leuven (Belgium), where he took up a doctoral project on neurodevelopment in the Laboratory of Developmental Genetics. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences in 2010, he joined Nutriad to work as an R&D Engineer. Four years later, he became Business Development Manager of Digestive Performance, a product range dedicated to gut health and animal performance in production animals. Since 2019, he has been the Global Scientific & Technical Manager at Adisseo, providing scientific support to the Health by Nutrition portfolio. This product category includes probiotics, short- and medium-chain fatty-based additives, and other products related to animal gut health.

About Ir. Olga Lemâle
Obtaining a Master’s degree in animal sciences, with specialization in animal nutrition at Wageningen University (the Netherlands) Dr. Olga Lemâle joined FRAmelco, as head of R&D in 2015. In 2023, she became Global Scientific & Technical Manager at Adisseo, providing support to the Health by Nutrition portfolio. This product category includes probiotics, short- and medium-chain fatty-based additives, and other products related to animal health and performance.

About Dr. Amine Mellouk
Having been the Global Technical & Science Support Manager in Immunology at Adisseo S.A.S. France since September 2021, Dr. Amine Mellouk’s research focuses on developing and valorizing nutritional strategies to enhance swine resilience against viral and bacterial pathogens. Prior to joining Adisseo, Dr. Mellouk held postdoctoral positions at INSERM–Paris Saclay University and SATT Paris-Saclay, where he contributed to immunological research in autoimmune diseases and drug discovery. His doctoral research at Paris-Sud University explored T cell homeostasis role in systemic autoimmunity.