{"id":101488,"date":"2022-05-12T14:38:47","date_gmt":"2022-05-12T12:38:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ew-nutrition.com\/improving-health-productivity-breeders\/"},"modified":"2025-08-14T17:00:30","modified_gmt":"2025-08-14T15:00:30","slug":"improving-health-productivity-breeders","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ew-nutrition.com\/us\/improving-health-productivity-breeders\/","title":{"rendered":"Improve health and productivity in breeders with phytomolecules"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Dr.<\/strong> Inge Heinzl<\/strong>, Editor, and Technical Team<\/strong>, EW Nutrition<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

C<\/span>areful management <\/span>of the breeders<\/span> is<\/span> a must to get the<\/span>ir<\/span> best reproductive efficiency<\/span>. <\/span>In today<\/span>\u2019<\/span>s <\/span>hatching <\/span>egg production, factors such as <\/span>stress, <\/span>inflammation, <\/span>body weight<\/span>, and <\/span>altered matin<\/span>g<\/span> behavior<\/span> le<\/span>a<\/span>d<\/span> to decreased performance<\/span>, <\/span>meaning fewer <\/span>hatchable<\/span> eggs and, therefore, fewer day-old chicks per hen (<\/span><\/span>Grandhaye, 2020<\/u><\/span><\/span><\/a>).<\/span> The use of antibiotics to increase performance in farm animals is no longer <\/span>allowed in many countries<\/span>,<\/span> and<\/span>, since it may lead to the development of resistance, it <\/span>is also <\/span>not <\/span>recommended<\/span>. So, also in breeders, alternatives are requested to <\/span>maintain<\/span> animal health, welfare, and <\/span>a high level of performance.<\/span><\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Optimal gut health is the cornerstone for breeder performance<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

As the organ responsible for digestion of the incoming feed, the absorption of nutrients, and the defense of the organism against pathogens or toxins, a healthy gut is a pre-condition for optimal performance (<\/span>Shini and Bryden, 2021<\/u><\/span><\/a>). A healthy gut, according to <\/span>Bailey (2018<\/u><\/span><\/a>), <\/span>has optimally developed gut tissues, a well-functioning gut immune system, and well-balanced gut microbiota. It shows efficient functionality in terms of digestion and absorption and protects the organism against harmful agents.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The gut directly or indirectly provides the elements for egg production<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Efficient feed digestion and absorption of nutrients are essential for the breeder hen to obtain the \u201cmaterial\u201d for maintenance, growth, and egg production. Gut health is crucial since dysbacteriosis and diarrhea, characteristics of gut health challenges, increase dirty eggs, creating favorable conditions for pathogens to enter the egg and infect the embryo.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Egg yolks consist of water (70%), proteins (10%), and lipids (20%). The yolk lipids are lipoproteins rich in triglycerides, built up in the liver and transported to the ovary. Cholesterol carried via lipoproteins to the egg yolk is also built up there, thus showing the importance of the liver in egg production. The gut plays a crucial role in protecting the liver from damage, constituting a barrier against harmful pathogens and toxins, potentially passing into the bloodstream and reaching this vital organ.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Phytomolecules support performance in different ways<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Phytomolecules, are an excellent tool to support gut health and animal performance. Phytomolecules are plant-derived secondary metabolites that exert insect-attracting or defensive functions in the plant. They are used in their natural but also nature-identical forms in humans and animals to exert their digestive, immune-modulating, antimicrobial effects.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Phytomolecules support gut health by balancing the gut microbiome<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Diverse examples can be found in the scientific literature, where phytomolecules improve the gut microbiome, resulting in better performance of layer and breeder hens. This support happens in two ways:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. \n
    Promoting beneficial bacteria<\/h6>\n

    Rabelo-Ruiz and co-workers (2021)<\/u><\/span><\/a>,<\/span> asserted that adding garlic and onion extracts to the diet of layers led to more eggs with a bigger size, accompanied by an increase in Lactococci in the ileum and Lactobacilli in the cecum. Another example is provided by <\/span>Park et al. (2016)<\/u><\/span>. When supplementing the diet of layers with a fermented phytogenic feed additive, egg production and weight raised with increasing dosage of the additive, and a higher number of Lactobacilli could be observed in the cecum.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>
    \nPhytomolecules can promote the growth of certain beneficial bacteria and therefore act like prebiotics. As these changes took place in the lower gut, they assumed an improved digestibility of the feed.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n

  2. \n
    Lowering pathogenic bacteria<\/h6>\n

    In the study by Park et al. (2016) and in an in vitro study by <\/span>Ghazanfari et al. (2019)<\/u><\/span><\/a>,<\/span> E. coli<\/span><\/i> in the cecum was reduced.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    According to <\/span>Burt (2007b)<\/u><\/span><\/a>, several essential oils \/ phytomolecules, amongst them, carvacrol, thymol, eugenol, and cinnamaldehyde, are effective against pathogens such as Listeria, Salmonella, <\/span>E. coli<\/span><\/i>, Shigella, and Staphylococcus. The hydrophobic essential oils can partition the lipids of the cell membranes. The resulting permeability of the membrane enables the leakage of cell content.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n

  3. \n
    Changing virulence factors<\/h6>\n

    Another mode of action is the change of virulence factors. Carvacrol, e.g., is known to decrease the motility of <\/span>Campylobacter jejuni<\/span><\/i> (<\/span>Van Alphen et al., 2012<\/u><\/span><\/a>); oregano and thyme oil reduced the motility of <\/span>E. coli<\/span><\/i> by inhibiting the synthesis of flagellin (<\/span>Burt, 2007a<\/u><\/span><\/a>). <\/span>Vidanarachchi et al. (2005)<\/u><\/span><\/a> mentioned that the hydrophobicity of microbes increases when some plant extracts are present, affecting their virulence characteristics. Also, the inhibition of defense measures such as efflux pumps in Gram-negative bacteria has been researched (<\/span>Savoia, 2012<\/u><\/span><\/a>).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Phytomolecules support gut health by improving digestion<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

    For many years, phytomolecules have been studied and known for their digestive characteristics. In poultry and other animals, they influence feed digestion in two main ways.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. \n
      Stimulating enzyme secretion<\/span><\/h6>\n

      Platel and Srinivasan (2004)<\/a> described different spices promoting not only the salivary flow, gastric juice and bile secretion but also the stimulation of the activity of enzymes such as pancreatic lipase, amylase, and proteases in rats. <\/span>Hashemipour et al. (2013)<\/a><\/span> saw the same effect in broilers supplemented with carvacrol and thymol in the diet. Research has also concluded on a higher nutrient digestibility:\u00a0 <\/span>Hernandez et al. (2004)<\/a><\/span> and <\/span>Basmacio\u011flu Malayo\u011flu, 2010<\/a><\/span> noticed that supplementing plant extracts or essential oils improved apparent whole-tract and ileal digestibility of different nutrients.).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n

    2. \n
      Maintaining gut integrity and enlarging the digestion area<\/span><\/h6>\n

      An intact gut with a large area for digestion guarantees optimal utilization of nutrients. Different researchers found that adding plant extracts or essential oils (Khalaji et al., 2011<\/a><\/span>; <\/span>Ghazanfari et al., 2015; Chowdhury et al., 2018<\/span>)<\/span><\/a>\u00a0promotes intestinal gut morphology, reflected in higher villi and deeper crypts, which might lead to higher nutrient absorption.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Concerning gut integrity, thymol and carvacrol showed protecting effects and mitigated gut lesions in broilers challenged with C. perfringens (Du et al., 2016<\/a><\/span>). Probably, the lower pathogenic pressure due to the antimicrobial activity of phytogenic substances leads to minor damage to the gut wall and, in the end, to better absorption of the nutrients.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Phytomolecules mitigate the effects of stress<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

      Environmental stress in breeders may decrease performance: the heat-stress-induced disruption of the tight junctions often leads to higher gut permeability, poor nutrient absorption, and higher electrolyte and water secretion (<\/span>Abdelli, 2021<\/a><\/span>). <\/span>Sahin et al. (2010)<\/a><\/span> achieved a linear improvement in egg production in quails when applying two doses of green tea catechin.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Cold-stressed layers also reacted positively to supplementation of oregano essential oil, improving egg production compared to a non-supplemented control (<\/span>Migliorini, 2019<\/a><\/span>).<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Positive influence of phytomolecules results in higher performance<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

      As described, phytomolecules improve gut health and support the animal in multiply ways, allowing better utilization of resources for growth and production. Literature provides many articles showing the promoting effects of these substances on the performance of layers or breeders, some of them summarized in Table 1.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Table 1: Benefits of phytomolecules in layers and breeders<\/span><\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
      Compounds<\/span><\/td>\nReference<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Main effects: Improved egg weight, egg mass, and higher hen-day-egg production<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Oregano & thyme<\/span><\/td>\nAbdel-Wareth (2013)<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Main effects: Higher fertility and hatchability<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Oregano, rosemary & thyme<\/span><\/td>\nNadia (2008)<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Main effects: Higher egg production, egg mass, better FCR<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Thyme, oregano, rosemary & curcuma<\/span><\/td>\nNadia (2008)<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Effects: improved laying performance<\/span><\/b><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Thyme<\/span><\/td>\nB\u00f6l\u00fckba\u015fi (2007)<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Mint<\/span><\/td>\nAbdel-Wareth and Lohakare, 2014<\/span>;<\/span><\/a> Abdel-Wareth and Lohakare, 2020<\/a><\/span>;<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Menta & Geranium<\/span><\/td>\nDilawar, 2021<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Peppermint & thyme<\/span><\/td>\nAkbari et al., 2016<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Black cumin<\/span><\/td>\nAbou-Elkhair et al., 2020<\/a><\/span>; <\/span>Khan et al., 2013<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Fennel<\/span><\/td>\nAbou-Elkhair et al., 2020<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Hot pepper<\/span><\/td>\nAbou-Elkhair et al., 2020<\/span><\/span><\/a>; <\/span>Al-Harthi, 2004<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Alliaceae<\/span><\/td>\nRabelo-Ruiz et al., 2021<\/a><\/span>; <\/span>Abad, 2020<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Green tea<\/span><\/td>\nAl Harthi, 2004<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Tea polyphenols<\/span><\/td>\nWang, 2018<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
      Tea-tree oil<\/span><\/td>\nPuvaca, 2020<\/a><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

      In-feed and in-water phytomolecules-based products show efficacy<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

      Much of the research done with phytomolecules focuses on essential oils (with variable inclusions of the active compounds or on single plant extracts. EW Nutrition is a research-driven company proposing phytomolecule-based solutions for the animal production industry. These products combine selected, synergistically acting phytomolecules to achieve optimal results.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      EW Nutrition has tested the combined use of\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n