Turkey Gut Health Resources

Optimizing Animal Production: The Role of Gut Health in Animal Welfare and Sustainable Practices

In the realm of animal nutrition and production, a profound understanding of the relationship between gut health, animal welfare, and sustainable production is essential. This interconnection is central to advancing the livestock and poultry production industry in a manner that benefits not only animal health, performance, and wellbeing; but also environmental sustainability and industry-wide progress.

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Salmonella in Poultry: Mitigation Requires a 360º Approach

With the significant risk of Salmonella to public health and poultry producers’ economic viability, a holistic approach to Salmonella control that includes biosecurity measures is critical for poultry operations. 

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Water Quality Management: Addressing an Overlooked Essential Nutrient

If the sanitation of your livestock or poultry drinking water isn’t a priority today, it should be. Kemin sat down with Best Veterinary Solutions (BVS) Water Services Manager Mitch Downs to talk about today’s water-quality challenges — how they affect animal performance and how testing can help mitigate them. Here are some frequently asked questions that Downs answered for us.

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Gastrointestinal Microbiota Balance and Livestock Health

An animal's gastrointestinal (GI) tract is critical to its health and wellbeing. It's obvious that, without it, the animal would be unable to asorb nutrients. However, the role of the GI tract extends far beyond this function.

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Eye on 'Biotics: Feeding Your Livestock and Poultry for Optimal Gut Health

The use of prebiotics and probiotics in livestock and poultry diets has become a common practice — and for good reason. Increased attention to and understanding of gut health in humans, pets and livestock have led to mroe research and effective solutions available on the market. In addition, producers are constantly searching for ways to fight pathogenic bacteria as antibiotic resistance grows.

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Organic Acid's Dual Role: Improved Bird Health, Safer Processing

Bacteria are one of the major microbes present in poultry. While many bacteria are harmless, there are some pathogenic bacteria which can be detrimental to bird health and performance. Pathogenic bacteria present in poultry can be broadly classified into two categories. For a producer, these two different bacteria categories should both be addressed to make sure that the birds are performing well during the growth period and food safety is also supported.

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Tannin Myth Busters: Four Myths About Tannins in Poultry Diets

Historically, tannins were considered a double-edged sword in poultry diets. Sometimes known for their bitter taste, tannins have traditionally been thought of as anti-nutritional factors in poultry diets. However, growing attention on the development of antimicrobial resistance to antibiotics among consumers has led to increased interest in evaluating alternative ingredients – including tannins – in poultry diets.

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Four Keys to a Successful Coccidiosis Vaccination Program

Coccidiosis in poultry has historically been managed with chemical anticoccidials and ionophore antibiotics. However, concerns about decreasing sensitivity of Eimeria to current anticoccidials combined with the recent rise in antibiotic free (ABF) production has created a renewed industry-wide focus on identifying alternative strategies – like coccidiosis vaccination – to manage this ubiquitous poultry disease.

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Three Tips to Maximize Turkey Gut Health

The gastrointestinal (GI) tract is a highly complex system which includes the structural intestinal epithelial barrier, a diverse commensal gut microbiota and a robust mucosal immune system. Crosstalk between these interrelated systems has a major influence on host physiology and metabolism. Imbalances in any of the three components can lead to negative gut health effects, such as poor nutrient absorption, diarrhea and more. Fortunately, by using proper management strategies, producers can keep these three gut health components in equilibrium, thereby helping birds stay healthy and productive.

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Four Benefits of Tannins for Poultry Gut Health

Poultry producers know a healthy gut is critical for optimal performance. Unfortunately, managing enteric challenges – like coccidiosis and necrotic enteritis – in antibiotic-free production systems is anything but easy. To protect poultry from disease, using feed additives – like tannins – that offer a wide-range of potential benefits for optimal gut health is key.

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Knocking Down an Ever-Present Turkey Gut Health Threat

Turkey production is a critical component of the overall consumer food supply chain. Ensuring the efficient production of healthy birds — and the continued viability of turkey producers around the world — depends on prudent farm-level management, including minimizing gastrointestinal (GI) challenges to maximize productivity and feed efficiency.

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3 Tips to Maximize Vitamin Absorption

Involved in over 30 metabolic reactions, vitamins are essential for animal growth, health, reproduction and performance. But, for animals to appropriately utilize essential vitamins for metabolism, effective vitamin absorption is critical. When considering vitamin absorption, factors like gut health, vitamin form and vitamin solubility can significantly influence absorption. To maximize vitamin absorption, understanding how these factors can influence vitamin availability for absorption is key.

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Phytogenic Feed Additives and Their Role in Poultry Pathogen Management

Antibiotics have long been a key component of effective disease control in human beings and animals alike. However, growing concerns about overuse and sustaining the efficacy of antibiotics among consumers has led to sweeping changes in the poultry industry.

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Don't Let Unclean Water Rob Livestock Performance

When it comes to the performance of a production herd or flock, the source, quantity, quality and composition of water can have a major impact on how animals perform. Not only should water be available in sufficient quantities, but it should have the right balance in pH and minerals and other components in order to maximize digestive function, gut health and overall animal performance.

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Using Antibiotic Alternatives in Managing Gut Health

A healthy gastrointestinal (GI) tract can help poultry achieve optimal production of meat or eggs. The GI tract for chicken has two essential functions: digestion/absorption and immunity. The intestinal mucosa provides an efficient barrier between unfriendly luminal content and the host's internal tissues. A cohesive alliance between the mucus layer, epithelial cells, microbiota and immune cells in the intestine is critical for the intestinal barrier functions.

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