Dr Narahari a seasoned professional in the space of Meat and Poultry processing industry in India and has spent over 32 years working with reputed organizations in India and Middle east and held Middle and Senior positions. Graduated from Bangalore veterinary college during the year 1989 and completed PG diploma in Animal Husbandry from ITCPH, Philippines under Netherlands fellowship programme. His organization NH ProPOWER Consultancy services, Bangalore offers end to end solutions for Meat and Poultry processing, Further processing, Retailing and QSRs, currently doing projects in India, Middle East and Africa.

Meat and poultry are nutrient-dense foods that supply high-quality protein, essential amino acids, iron, zinc, and vitamin B12. The same features that make them nutritious, such as high moisture, abundant nutrients and a relatively favourable pH, also make them highly perishable. The scale of the post-process/post-harvest/post-slaughter spoilage issue is particularly important in India. The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying reported a total meat production of 10.50 million tonnes in 2024–25, with poultry contributing approximately 49% of the total. A NABCONS study published in 2022 estimated post-harvest losses of 2.34% for meat and 5.63% for poultry meat. If the estimated poultry loss rate were applied illustratively to 2024–25 production, the quantity affected would be approximately 0.29 million tonnes. Such loss also wastes the feed, water, veterinary inputs, labour, energy, packaging, transport and processing capacity already invested in the product. This article aims to explain the scientific and operational principles of cold-chain management in the meat and poultry industry and to highlight its importance in maintaining food safety, product quality and Shelf life.

Why rapid cooling matters
After slaughter, blood circulation and natural defence mechanisms in the organisms cease. However, the residual heat remains in the carcass and helps endogenous enzymes to continue their action, causing enzymatic or autolytic spoilage. This is the beginning of spoilage. Microbial spoilage develops later in the meat products as microorganisms multiply. The exposed tissues of the meat or poultry can acquire microorganisms during dressing, evisceration, cutting, and handling. Lower temperatures help reduce the rate of spoilage by inhibiting enzyme activity and microbial growth.
However, the concept of cold chain is more than just storage at a lower temperature. From slaughter to consumption, cold chain management involves a coordinated system of temperature, time, hygiene, airflow, packing, and documented monitoring to ensure the safety and quality of the products.

Microbial contamination may include spoilage organisms and pathogens. Spoilage may become visible as slime, discolouration, excessive drip, rancid flavours or objectionable odours. Pathogenic contamination is more dangerous because organisms such as Salmonella, Campylobacter, pathogenic Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes may be present without producing any obvious change in appearance, smell or taste. Refrigeration slows microbial multiplication, enzymatic reactions and lipid oxidation, but it does not sterilize the product or correct poor hygiene. Also, some psychrotrophic microorganisms (Eg., Shewanella putrefaciens, Candida spp) can continue to grow slowly at refrigeration temperatures and cause spoilage during extended refrigerated storage.

Poultry generally deteriorates faster than intact red-meat carcasses because slaughter and portioning create a large exposed surface, while skin folds, feathers and intestinal contents increase the opportunities for cross-contamination. Mincing creates an additional risk by increasing surface area and distributing surface contamination throughout the batch. Temperature and exposure time must therefore be controlled. Even a brief rise in temperature during loading, transport or retail display can shorten the product’s remaining shelf life.

The cold-chain journey and its principles
The cold chain begins immediately after post-mortem inspection. Primary chilling removes carcass heat rapidly and uniformly, while secondary chilling maintains the required condition during holding, cutting, deboning, packing and dispatch. For example, European Union Regulation No. 853/2004, establishes that, after post-mortem inspection, the animals must be immediately taken to a refrigerated environment in the slaughterhouse. This medium must guarantee an internal temperature of the meat that does not exceed 3°C, in the case of offal, and ≤ 7°C for the rest of the meat, and it will be ≤ 4ºC for poultry, subject to the applicable legislation and processing system. However, these limits do not replace process validation. Regulatory compliance mandates that these temperature limits serve as benchmarks rather than absolute substitutes for process validation. The thermal history of the product must be empirically verified to ensure that the “slowest-cooling part” (typically the geometric centre) reaches the target temperature within a short duration. This requirement necessitates monitoring chilling curves to ensure a continuous, steady decrease in temperature to prevent any thermal plateaus that could allow for pathogen recovery or exponential growth.

A graph of the temperature of the product vs time is called a cooling curve. This provides stronger evidence about the product temperature than room temperature alone. A cold room can show the correct air temperature, but the centre of a carcass or dense carton or tightly packed pallet may remain warm. Representative product-temperature measurements can identify overloading, insufficient refrigeration capacity, blocked airflow, excessive door opening, defrost effects and poorly positioned evaporators. Also surface temperature and exposure time may contribute to microbial growth. Therefore, monitoring points should be selected through temperature mapping and process validation.

The industry employs various low-temperature chilling and freezing systems. They offer different advantages, and their applications vary by product type. Air chilling uses forced cold air and depends on temperature, velocity, humidity, carcass size, and spacing. Immersion chilling cools poultry rapidly but requires strict water-quality and cross-contamination control. Spray chilling combines cold air chilling with intermittent water spray, and can reduce dehydration of the products. Blast freezing uses very cold, high-velocity air, while plate freezers are suitable for flat, uniformly shaped packages. Warm products should not enter a long-term store designed mainly to hold already-frozen goods. A validated freezing process should be used to reduce their core temperature to the specified level, commonly −18°C or below.

The product quality should be suitable for the target market. Chilled beef is generally stored at temperatures between 0 and 4°C (without freezing). Therefore, its shelf life is limited, and the temperature must be kept constant. Superchilling holds the product slightly below its initial freezing point and can extend storage while limiting ice formation, although temperature uniformity is critical. Frozen storage at −18°C or below substantially slows microbial and chemical deterioration but does not reverse earlier temperature abuse. Freezing rate, packaging, fat content, storage duration and thawing practices influence drip loss, oxidation, texture and overall acceptability.

Importance of hygiene, zoning and packaging
Low temperature cannot compensate for contamination from hands, clothing, knives, conveyors, crates, drains, aerosols or poorly cleaned surfaces. Hygienic plant design should establish one-way movement from dirty or live-animal areas towards cleaner cutting, packing, chilling and dispatch zones without backtracking. Raw and ready-to-eat operations require effective separation. Protective clothing, handwashing, knife sterilization, pest control, drainage, condensate management, sanitation procedures and microbiological verification are essential components of cold-chain control.

Figure 1: Cold chain in meat and poultry industry and the principles of cold chain

Packaging supports temperature control but does not replace it. Vacuum packaging reduces oxygen and may extend chilled shelf life, while modified-atmosphere packaging can suppress selected aerobic spoilage organisms and help maintain product colour. However, packaging changes the microbial ecology rather than eliminating microorganisms. Seal integrity, gas composition, product temperature and the possible growth of anaerobic or facultative organisms must therefore be considered during shelf-life validation. Shelf life should be established for the actual formulation, initial microbial load, processing method, packaging system and distribution pattern rather than copied from a generic table.

Distribution, retail and monitoring
Refrigerated vehicles should maintain the temperature of pre-cooled products rather than perform primary chilling. Vehicles should be cleaned, inspected and pre-cooled before loading. Loading must be rapid, doors should remain open for the shortest practicable time and cartons should be arranged to preserve airflow. Overloading, warm loading, damaged door seals and delays at transfer points can create temperature gradients and warm pockets. At retail, products should move quickly into cold rooms or display units. Display cases should not be filled above their designed airflow line, while cutting and mincing should be undertaken in small batches under chilled conditions.

Documented monitoring converts refrigeration from an assumption into verifiable control. Records should include product core or surface temperature, room and vehicle temperature, door-opening duration, refrigeration performance, sanitation results, lot identity and handover time. Calibrated data loggers, time–temperature indicators, GPS-linked sensors and Internet of Things platforms can provide continuous histories and real-time alarms. When a deviation occurs, personnel should isolate the product, evaluate its time–temperature history and safety, document its disposition, correct the immediate problem, identify the root cause and verify the effectiveness of corrective action.

Cold chain capacity, compliance and sustainability
Cold chain capacity should be designed based on peak throughput and total heat load, rather than average production and room volume alone. The product mix, incoming temperature, fresh-to-frozen ratio, pack size, chilling or freezing time, dwell time, door openings, dispatch frequency, weekend stock and future growth are all things designers need to consider. Refrigeration calculations should consider product heat, transmission through walls, air infiltration, people, lighting, motors and defrost loads. A bottleneck in chilling, blast freezing, staging, loading docks or refrigerated transport can compromise the entire system even when the nominal storage capacity appears adequate.

In India, compliance requires an appropriate FSSAI license, hygienic infrastructure, product and labelling standards, traceability and proof of temperature control. Export operations may also require APEDA approvals, veterinary certification and compliance with residue monitoring and specifications required by the exporting country. Codex CXC 58-2005 proposes a risk-based approach to meat hygiene. European regulations and the UNECE ATP Agreement constitute established references for hygienic production and temperature-controlled transport.

Conclusion
A reliable meat and poultry cold chain is not simply a cold room or refrigerated truck. It is an uninterrupted, validated and documented management system. When temperature, time, hygiene, airflow, packaging, capacity and human discipline are controlled together, the cold chain reduces spoilage, extends saleable life, supports market access and protects public health and the economic value embedded in every kilogram of product. In the future, cold chains should combine food safety with environmental sustainability through improved insulation, efficient compressors, lower-global-warming-potential refrigerants, renewable electricity, heat recovery, preventive maintenance and digital traceability. Sustainable cold-chain development is important because refrigeration protects food availability, but inefficient cooling systems can also contribute substantially to energy demand and greenhouse-gas emissions.

References are available on request.

The two days PFI 37th AGM witnessed the presence of over 950 plus participants from across India and 111 sponsoring companies, reflecting the strength and unity of India’s poultry community. The AGM began with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp, symbolizing growth, progress and prosperity in the poultry sector.

Mr. Ranpal Dhanda, President, Poultry Federation of India, welcomed all participants, expressing heartfelt gratitude to all sponsoring companies for their valuable support in making this 37th AGM a grand success with their presence. PFI President said this PFI AGM is an occasion where the entire country’s poultry sector has gathered on a single platform to connect, share experiences and deliberate on the future course of action. The entire value chain of the poultry sector is present on this platform—ranging from farmers, breeders, feed millers, and integrators to medicine and equipment companies, doctors, scientists, and associations. And therein lies PFI’s greatest strength. Mr. Dhanda added we must place equal emphasis on technology, scientific knowledge, disease management, feed quality, genetics, biosecurity, and modern farming practices. Our aim is to ensure that the knowledge possessed by scientists and experts does not remain confined to conferences and laboratories; the benefits of research must reach the farm level. In this context, VIV Select India 2026 has been a significant milestone for us. Mr. Ranpal Dhanda further said India is a young nation today, and one of our greatest challenges is delivering affordable, high-quality nutrition to as many people as possible. Eggs and chicken play a vital role in this. For us, these are not merely poultry sector products; they are crucial components of nutritional and protein security. Therefore, in the future, PFI will vigorously advance the “Mission Protein India” initiative. We will strive to disseminate accurate, scientific information regarding the nutritional benefits of eggs and chicken to the public through awareness programs, social media, digital platforms, and other communication channels. Our objective is to address the misconceptions and misinformation surrounding poultry products in the country by presenting facts and scientific evidence. Today, we have many young professionals, entrepreneurs, veterinarians, and next-generation poultry farmers among us. PFI will strive to bring the youth into the fold of the organization, giving them an opportunity to voice their views and play a role in the future leadership of the sector. After all, the poultry sector of the next 10–20 years will be in the hands of today’s youth.

The inaugural address was followed by the Annual Report presented by
Mr. Ravinder Singh Sandhu, Secretary, who highlighted following activities being done by PFI in last one year.

Regarding the Bird Flu Vaccine Policy: Bird Flu has been a major concern for farmers. PFI has consistently raised the issue of LPAI and HPAI vaccines with the government. As you all know, the PFI team worked hard to secure permission for the LPAI vaccine and maintained continuous coordination with the Department of Animal Husbandry (Government of India) regarding the HPAI vaccine. PFI with support from other national poultry associations have achieved significant success in this regard; now, the HPAI vaccine can be manufactured in India and legally imported.

Efforts to ensure farmers can easily obtain the Pollution Board NOC: To address this, the PFI team held meetings with the Haryana government, advocating for the exclusion of the poultry sector from the ‘industry’ category regarding Pollution Board NOCs. We proposed a separate policy for poultry NOCs that requires minimal documentation. PFI Team is hopeful that the Haryana government will soon issue a notification on this matter.

Regarding Market Committee fees for maize and pearl millet (bajra) –Taking this issue seriously, the PFI team held a meeting with the Haryana government. This meeting took place under the chairmanship of our senior colleague and Honorable Cabinet Minister, Shri Mahipal Dhanda Ji, and was attended by the Chief Secretary of Haryana and senior officials from the Mandi Board; other poultry associations also participated alongside the PFI team.

Initiative for biogas plant subsidies for breeder and layer farming – Poultry waste poses a major challenge for our fellow farmers. The cost of installing biogas plants to dispose of this waste is very high; consequently, our team has voiced the farmers’ concerns to the Government of India, specifically requesting a subsidy of ₹1 crore for biogas plants.

Regarding rising Soya DOC prices – Our team conducted a survey to identify the underlying causes and discovered that soya stocks were being hoarded.
In response, we wrote to the PMO and the relevant ministry, urging them to impose an upper limit on soya stockpiling. This intervention halted the rise in soybean prices; while we had anticipated a sharp price surge due to hoarding, the situation was successfully brought under control.

Regarding maize quality and production – Thanks to the sustained efforts of the PFI team, we have observed a significant increase in maize production in the North this year compared to previous years. Through various maize-focused seminars, we have been consistently raising awareness among farmers about maize quality to ensure there is no shortage in the future, given the rising demand.

PFI purchases a plot for a laboratory – 400-square-yard commercial plot has been purchased in Panipat for the PFI laboratory. The project report is ready, and work is set to commence shortly. The laboratory will be completed soon, providing the poultry sector with enhanced technological support. Its primary objective is to offer farmers and the entire poultry sector superior technical support, accurate disease identification, and scientific information.

VIV Select India Exhibition- PFI has enabled even small-scale farmers to experience an international exhibition. Our team brought in thousands of farmers from across the country to provide them with insights into poultry-related technologies, ensuring that advanced technology reaches even the smallest of farmers. Thanks to everyone’s contribution, this exhibition was a resounding success. While we had initially planned to hold this event biennially, given its success and with your continued support, it will now be organized annually—with the next edition scheduled for April 21–23, 2027, at the Yashobhoomi Convention Centre.

Later the Financial Report was presented by Mr. Rahul Khatri, Treasurer, which was unanimously approved by all the PFI Members.

Mr. Sanjeev Gupta, Vice President (HQ) extended Vote of Thanks. Mr. Gupta extended special thanks to all PFI Executive Committee Members, Industry Leaders, Technical Speakers, Delegates Media partners and the entire management team for their dedicated efforts and teamwork.

Technical & Business Sessions – The day featured insightful presentations by leading industry experts and companies: Mr. Uday Singh Bayas, President, Indian Poultry Equipment Manufacturers Association (IPEMA) and Poultry India invited all the delegates present at PFI AGM to attend Poultry India Exhibition being organised at HITEX, Hyderabad on November 25-27, 2026. Later the sponsoring companies gave very interesting and education presentations. This was followed by several educating and informative technical presentations by Team Symbio, Dr. Ajeet Bishnoi, Dr. Harish & Dr. Rahul.

Dr. Rakesh Gupta, General Managet – Technical, Venkateshwara Hatcheries (VH Group) gave very impressive presentation on “Management of Immunosuppression in Broilers” which was very much appreciated by the delegates. There was good interaction after the presentation and Dr. Rakesh Gupta satisfactorily replied to all the questions.

Dr. Vijay Anand, Soy Excellence Center (SEC) India Center Lead, presentation on “Soy as a Continuing Foundation for the Feed Industry” was another engaging segment. The clarity of thoughts and practical approach provided the delegates with several valuable takeaways.

This was followed by presentation of certificates by PFI Core Team to the four toppers of Soy Excellence Center course, a good initiative by US Soybean Export Council.

A high-level panel discussion on “Indigenous Viral Strains for Poultry vaccines: Strengthening Disease Control Through India Specific Solutions” was there which was very well moderated by Dr. Nitin Vasantrao Kurkure and the distinguished panel included Dr. Premanshu Dandapat, Dr. NK Mahajan, Dr. Shirish Nigam, Dr. Sanjay Gavkare and Dr. Gowthaman. Press and Silver & Bronze category sponsors were felicitated for their continuous support, by presenting mementoes. Dr. Jeetendra Verma, Executive Committee Member, Poultry Federation of India, extended Vote of Thanks. The evening concluded with a musical program and cocktail dinner, offering networking opportunities and celebrating unity within the poultry fraternity.

The second day of the 37th Annual General Body Meeting of Poultry Federation of India continued with insightful policy sessions, dignitary addresses and recognition of excellence in the poultry sector.
The day began with welcome address by Mr. Ranpal Dhanda, President, Poultry Federation of India. He emphasised the Federation’s commitment to promoting scientific, profitable and sustainable poultry farming across India. The pace at which India’s poultry sector has grown over the last few decades is truly remarkable. Today, our country ranks among the world’s leading producers of eggs and chicken. According to the ICAR, the poultry sector is making a significant contribution to India’s food and nutritional security. We need to consider Where will India’s poultry sector be in the next ten years? And an even more important question is Are we prepared today for the challenges of the coming decade?

PFI President said “Poultry feed security is an essential part of India’s protein security.” If quality feed is not available at competitive prices, we will be unable to simultaneously achieve farmer profitability, affordable protein for consumers, and global competitiveness for the industry. Today, our scientists have made seeds available that allow us to achieve yields of up to 10–11 tonnes per hectare. I say this based on my own practical experience. For the past three years, I have been cultivating maize on approximately 20 acres, and I am achieving yields of up to 10–11 tonnes per hectare. However, looking at the country as a whole, the average maize productivity here currently stands at only about 3–4 tonnes per hectare. This implies that while we possess quality seeds and scientists have developed superior varieties, the major challenge lies in our inability to deliver these high-quality seeds to every farmer in sufficient quantities. Therefore, our future focus must be on ensuring that the high-quality, high-yield hybrid seeds available to us reach every farm and every farmer. These seeds should be made available at reasonable and subsidized rates so that small and medium-scale farmers can also utilize them.

Mr. Ranpal Dhanda said Our second priority is to transform disease surveillance into an “Early Warning System.” If animal feed represents our first challenge, disease management is our second major hurdle. Modern poultry farming is highly intensive and interconnected. A disease outbreak is not merely a problem for a single farm; it can become an issue for the entire cluster. Therefore, I propose the creation of a National Poultry Disease Surveillance Grid. We should develop an integrated system connecting — Farm → Veterinarian → District Laboratory → State Laboratory → National Reference Laboratory —through a digital network.

Mr. Dhanda added Our third priority is: Vaccination tailored to Indian conditions. India should become a leader in innovation not just a market in the field of poultry vaccines. When Indian science and Indian industry collaborate, Indian solutions can be developed for Indian challenges. Therefore, we urge that the “Indigenous Strain-Based Vaccine Development Programme” be further strengthened. We need to establish a framework wherein ICAR, Veterinary Universities, the Government, the Vaccine Industry, and the Poultry Industry collaborate to conduct research on priority disease.
This was followed by launch of Mission Protein India and its mascot by the Honourable Chief Guest Shri Mahipal Dhanda, Minister of Education, Government of Haryana, along with all the dignitaries on the dias.

Mission Protein India is an initiative by PFI in promoting protein awareness by launching an Instagram page titled “Mission Protein India.” This initiative will provide the general public with information regarding the nutritional value of protein. Our goal is to ensure that accurate, scientific information reaches everyone, enabling people to understand the importance of better nutrition for their health and adopt it into their lifestyles.

Later Mr. Vijay Sardana, Advocate, Supreme Court of India & Techno-Legal Advisor, Poultry Federation of India gave Keynote address. National Poultry Export Mission – On behalf of Poultry Federation of India, it was proposed to Establish a National Poultry Export Mission 2035, with PFI, DAHD, APEDA, MoFPI, Commerce Ministry and relevant state governments working against annual milestones. The Proposed US$10 Billion Export Basket. India should move progressively from bulk shipments to specification-based shipments. The buyer should be able to specify: weight + cut + fat level + packaging + certification + microbiological standard + halal status + traceability. That is how a commodity becomes a differentiated export product. The objective should be to establish Indian processing companies as international suppliers.

Dr. Sunil Neelam, ICAR-Indian Institute of Maize Research gave interesting and highly appreciated presentation on “Strategy to Meet Maize Requirement for Poultry in Changing Scenarios”.

This was followed by address by Mr. Ashok Thakur, Guest of Honour and Director, National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED). Mr. Thakur offered all the support to poultry sector as it’s creating lot of employment among young generation. His emphasis on strengthening protein security, feed security, farmer welfare and sustainable growth provided important direction for the sector.

The honourable Chief Guest, Shri Mahipal Dhanda, Minister of Education, Government of Haryana addressed the gathering which was truly insightful and inspiring. It was indeed an honour and privilege to hear his valuable thoughts and guidance. The clarity of his vision and his commitment to working closely with industry stakeholders were highly appreciated by all the delegates. The honourable Chief Guest concluded by saying together, let us take Indian Poultry to greater heights and contribute meaningfully to the vision of a Healthy, Prosperous and Viksit Bharat.

Mr. Ricky Thaper, Joint Secretary, delivered The Vote of Thanks by appreciating Hon’ble Chief Guest Shri Mahipal Dhanda Ji, Hon’ble Education Minister, Government of Haryana, and the Guest of Honours for graciously sparing their valuable time to join and bless the 37th AGM with their presence and extended deep appreciation to all 950 plus participants, 111 sponsoring companies, Speakers, Special Invites, Press and all PFI Executive Committee team for their contribution to making the two-day AGM a grand success.

Post lunch there were technical presentations by Mr. Anil Singh Tomar also Mr. Arvindra Singh. The Panel Discussion on “Beyond Maize and Soy-Alternative Feed Ingredients for Efficient and Cost-Effective Poultry Production”

was very nicely Moderatored by Dr. Tarun Shridhar and the panellist included Prof. Dr. PK Shukla, Dr. Ashok Kumar Pattanaik, Dr. Amit Das, Dr. Shiv Kumar Bhardwaj, Dr Nataraja Hulegondi and Dr. Ajay Deshpande. This was followed by the insightful addresses by leading voices from the poultry industry that added tremendous value to the AGM.

The poultry leader’s; Mr. Divya Gulati, Mr. Vasant Kumar, Mr. Madan Mohan Maity and Mr. Bahadur Ali’s perspectives highlighted the sector’s key challenges, emerging opportunities and the need for stronger collaboration among farmers, industry, scientists and policymakers.

Their valuable suggestions on the growth and future of India’s poultry sector reflected a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities before the industry. The industry leaders brought valuable on-ground experience and practical insights, particularly on feed security, cost competitiveness, farmer sustainability, innovation and the future growth of Indian poultry. Their forward-looking thoughts and constructive suggestions provided meaningful direction for building a more resilient, sustainable and globally competitive poultry industry in India. The rich exchange of ideas truly reflected the strength, unity and collective vision of the poultry fraternity.

Later there was mementoes presentations to Special Guests & Poultry Industry Associations and Super Platinum, Platinum, Diamond & Gold Sponsors. Mr. Rahul Khatri, Treasurer, extended Vote of Thanks. The 37th AGM of the Poultry Federation of India concluded on a highly positive and inspiring note, reaffirming our collective commitment to the growth, sustainability and long-term strength of India’s poultry sector. The discussions, insights and interactions throughout the AGM reinforced one clear message: a strong poultry industry is essential for India’s protein security, farmer prosperity and food security. The evening concluded with a musical program and cocktail dinner, offering networking opportunities and celebrating unity within the poultry fraternity.

However, despite its widespread use, SCC presents several practical challenges, including its highly hygroscopic nature, reduced feed stability, accelerated degradation of certain vitamins, and the formation of trimethylamine (TMA) during microbial metabolism. These limitations, coupled with the industry’s growing focus on efficiency, sustainability, and precision nutrition, have driven the search for more advanced nutritional solutions.

Why Liver Health Matters More Than Ever
In poultry, the liver is the primary site of lipogenesis, accounting for nearly 80–85% of total fatty acid synthesis. Every day, it coordinates the conversion of nutrients into energy, regulates lipid metabolism, synthesizes proteins, and supports numerous physiological functions essential for growth and production. When lipid metabolism becomes impaired, triglycerides accumulate within liver cells, leading to excessive fat deposition, poor feed utilization, reduced growth performance, and an increased risk of fatty liver conditions. These metabolic disturbances can significantly impact both biological efficiency and economic returns. Consequently, maintaining optimal liver function is no longer viewed merely as a health objective; it has become a key driver of productivity and profitability in modern poultry production.

Kolin Plus® : A New Generation Phytogenic Solution
Developed as a scientifically validated phytogenic alternative to synthetic choline chloride, Kolin Plus® represents a new approach to metabolic nutrition. Rather than functioning solely as a nutrient replacement, Kolin Plus® supports liver health and fat metabolism through multiple interconnected biological pathways. Formulated from carefully selected botanical ingredients rich in bioactive compounds, Kolin Plus® works by influencing key metabolic processes involved in lipid synthesis, fat mobilization, fatty acid oxidation, and energy utilization. This multi-pathway mode of action enables the bird to utilize nutrients more efficiently while supporting optimal hepatic function. Backed by transcriptomic research and performance validation studies, Kolin Plus® exemplifies the shift from conventional nutrient supplementation to scientifically driven metabolic optimization.

A Transcriptomic Window into Poultry Metabolism
One of the most exciting developments in animal nutrition has been the application of transcriptomics to understand how dietary interventions influence biological functions.
Transcriptomics enables researchers to evaluate thousands of genes simultaneously and identify the molecular pathways affected by nutritional interventions. To unravel the molecular basis of Kolin Plus® activity, liver gene expression profiling was conducted in broilers challenged with choline-deficient diets. The analysis identified key genes and signaling pathways involved in lipid synthesis, mobilization, oxidation, and overall hepatic lipid regulation. The gene expression patterns were studied for four groups normal diet: normal, choline chloride deficient, Kolin Plus®, and CCL using microarray on day 42. The hierarchical cluster analysis was carried out on 12,614 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with a similar expression.

Regulating Fat Synthesis at Its Source
One of the most significant findings from transcriptomic research was the modulation of genes involved in hepatic fat synthesis. Key genes associated with lipogenesis—including PPARG, ACACA, ACLY, and LIPC were regulated in a manner that supports healthier lipid metabolism. These genes play important roles in: Fatty acid synthesis, Triglyceride accumulation, Lipid storage, Hepatic lipid regulation. By influencing these pathways, Kolin Plus® helps create a metabolic environment that favours efficient nutrient utilization while reducing excessive fat deposition within the liver. (Table 1, Fig1)

Figure 1. Effect of KP on gene expression related to de novo lipogenesis.
Activating the Fat-Burning Machinery
While reducing fat synthesis is important, optimal metabolic health also requires efficient utilization of stored fats. The transcriptomic analysis revealed enhanced expression of genes associated with fatty acid oxidation, including:  CPT1A, PPARGC1A, HADHB, PNPLA2
These genes are directly involved in transporting fatty acids into mitochondria and converting them into usable energy through β-oxidation. In practical terms, this means the bird becomes more efficient at utilizing dietary energy rather than storing it as excess fat.
Further studies demonstrated increased circulating levels of L-carnitine in supplemented birds.
L-carnitine serves as the transport system that carries long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria, where they are oxidized to generate energy. Improved L-carnitine status has been associated with:
– Enhanced fat utilization
– Reduced carcass fat deposition
– Improved energy efficiency
– Better production performance
This finding provides an important physiological link between molecular changes and measurable production outcomes. ((Table 1, Fig 2)

Fig 2: Effect of KP on catabolism of lipids (lipolysis and beta-oxidation of fatty acids.

From Molecular Science to Farm Performance
The true value of any nutritional intervention lies in its ability to improve on-farm performance.

Research Studies has demonstrated benefits including:
– Improved body weight gain
– Better feed conversion ratio (FCR)
– Reduced fat accretion
– Enhanced livability
– Improved European Production Index (EPI)
These improvements reflect the practical impact of optimizing lipid metabolism and liver function.  Rather than acting as a simple replacement for choline, this approach supports multiple interconnected pathways that collectively improve metabolic efficiency.

Sustainability Through Better Metabolism
Modern poultry production increasingly demands solutions that are not only effective but also sustainable. Improved lipid utilization means more dietary energy is directed toward productive purposes rather than being lost through inefficient metabolism.
This can contribute to:
– Better feed efficiency
– Lower resource utilization
– Reduced environmental impact
– Improved economic sustainability
As the industry continues to pursue precision nutrition and sustainable production systems, metabolic optimization will play an increasingly important role.

Conclusion
The future of poultry nutrition is moving beyond simple nutrient supplementation toward a deeper understanding of how nutrition influences biological systems. Advances in transcriptomics and nutrigenomics have shown that phytogenic technologies can regulate gene expression, optimize lipid metabolism, support mitochondrial function, and enhance metabolic efficiency.
By influencing key pathways involved in fat synthesis, lipid transport, and fatty acid oxidation, these next-generation nutritional solutions help improve liver health, nutrient utilization, and production performance. Kolin Plus®, backed by transcriptomic validation and performance studies, exemplifies this scientific approach by supporting metabolic health through multiple biological pathways rather than functioning as a conventional choline replacement alone.
As the poultry industry continues to focus on efficiency, profitability, and sustainability, scientifically validated phytogenic solutions such as Kolin Plus® are redefining metabolic management and shaping the future of precision poultry nutrition.

The 11th edition of the Global Talks Series features Ms. Anne Meis, Chair of the Soy Excellence Center (SEC), a U.S. soybean grower from Nebraska and a member of the Nebraska Soybean Board. Representing the farming community at the foundation of the U.S. soy value chain, she brings a valuable perspective that connects agricultural production with the evolving needs of the global food, feed and protein industries. This edition explores the important role of the Soy Excellence Center, a strategic initiative of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), in developing the next generation of protein professionals. Ms. Meis shares her insights on continuous education, practical training, workforce development and international knowledge exchange across the poultry, livestock, aquaculture, feed and food-processing sectors. Grounded in practical farming experience and industry leadership, Ms. Meis strongly advocates investing in people as the key to building productive, innovative and sustainable food systems. Her vision highlights how skilled professionals, empowered through knowledge and global collaboration, can strengthen businesses, advance protein security and support the future growth of the global agriculture industry.

As global protein demand rises, the food and agriculture sectors face the challenge of providing nutritious, safe and affordable food to a growing population. Human capital development and continuous professional education have therefore become increasingly important. The Soy Excellence Center (SEC), an initiative of the U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC), addresses this challenge by developing skilled professionals across the poultry, livestock, aquaculture, feed and food industries.

In this edition of the Global Talks Series, I interacted with Ms. Anne Meis, Chair of the Soy Excellence Center, a Nebraska soybean grower and member of the Nebraska Soybean Board. Representing the farming community at the foundation of the U.S. soy value chain, she brings a valuable producer’s perspective to the initiative.

Soy: A Key Pillar of the Global Protein Value Chain – With global protein demand projected to increase significantly over the coming years and the world population approaching 10 billion, ensuring adequate nutrition for a growing population is one of the defining challenges facing the global food system.

During my interaction with Ms. Anne Meis in Chicago, USA during Soy Connext 2026 conference she said U.S. Soybean Export Council (USSEC) works to expand market access and promote the use of U.S. soy for human consumption, aquaculture and livestock feed in more than 90 countries. Its membership represents the complete soy value chain, including farmers, processors, commodity shippers, merchandisers, allied agribusinesses and agricultural organisations. The organisation is supported through the U.S. soybean checkoff, USDA Foreign Agricultural Service matching funds and industry contributions.

Soy Excellence Center: Investing in People – Since its launch in 2019, the Soy Excellence Center has expanded its reach across different regions of the world, developing programs designed around local workforce and industry needs.

Ms. Anne Meis added the fundamental philosophy behind SEC is simple but powerful: strengthen people so they can strengthen the food and agriculture sector. The centres focus on building the capacity and market potential of businesses throughout the food and agriculture value chain.

SEC programmes provide professionals with opportunities to enhance their knowledge through specialised courses covering areas such as poultry, feed milling, aquaculture and soy food and beverage processing. USSEC currently operates SEC regional hubs covering the Americas, Asia, India, the Middle East and North Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa. Through expert-led training, practical learning and interaction with professionals from around the world, SEC participants gain knowledge in areas including feed formulation, feed manufacturing, aquaculture technologies, production practices and soy-based food innovation.

Ms. Anne Meis said The protein industry is changing rapidly. Customer expectations are evolving, food regulations are becoming more stringent, production technologies are advancing, digitalisation is transforming businesses, and our understanding of nutrition, genetics and animal health continues to develop. In this environment, professional education cannot be viewed as a one-time activity. Continuous learning has become essential for remaining competitive and relevant. Training enables professionals to acquire new skills, strengthen existing competencies and remain aligned with changing industry standards. For companies, investing in workforce development can translate into improved productivity, innovation, employee engagement and long-term competitiveness.

Building Confidence and Employee Engagement – Workforce development also has an important human dimension – When organisations invest in the professional growth of their employees, they demonstrate that people are valued as an important strategic asset. Training can enhance employee confidence, motivation and job satisfaction while creating a stronger sense of commitment to the organisation. Leadership development, technical education, soft skills and professional certification can help employees prepare for greater responsibilities and create opportunities for career progression. For the rapidly evolving protein industry, this is particularly important because the sector requires professionals who can combine technical expertise with adaptability and leadership.

Training as a Driver of Innovation – Innovation and adaptability are essential in today’s food and protein value chains – Digital technologies are increasingly being integrated into poultry production, feed manufacturing, farm management and other areas of agribusiness. Automation, data analytics, precision management and digital decision-support systems are changing the way businesses operate. Training enables professionals to understand and adopt these technologies more effectively. A workforce that continuously learns is better prepared to respond to changing markets, new technologies and evolving customer expectations. It also creates an environment in which innovation and continuous improvement become part of the organisational culture.

From Training to Higher Productivity – Training has a direct relationship with operational performance – Professionals who understand processes, equipment, quality standards and preventive practices are better positioned to reduce errors, improve efficiency and minimise downtime. For example, in a feed mill, training employees in proactive maintenance practices can help identify potential problems before they develop into major production failures. Similarly, better understanding of feed formulation, ingredient quality and manufacturing practices can contribute to improved feed efficiency and consistency. Across the protein value chain, small improvements in knowledge and execution can create significant economic benefits.

Supporting Career Development – Another important contribution of SEC is its focus on career development – Professional education provides employees with the knowledge and qualifications needed to move into more responsible positions.

Mentorship, specialised courses and continuing education can help companies develop talent internally rather than relying exclusively on external recruitment. This creates a win-win situation: employees gain opportunities for professional growth, while organisations develop a stronger pipeline of skilled talent.

Ms. Anne Meis said SEC India: Addressing the Needs of a Growing Protein Sector – Recognising India’s rapidly growing food and agriculture sector, USSEC launched the Soy Excellence Center India in February 2024, with a focus on early- to mid-career professionals associated with livestock and food industries. The initiative also aligns with India’s broader emphasis on skill development and preparing the country’s young workforce for emerging opportunities. SEC India offers free online programs covering poultry, feed milling, aquaculture, and soy food and beverage processing. The objective is to bridge the gap between conventional education and the practical skills required by a rapidly modernising food and agriculture industry. For India, this is particularly relevant. The country has a large and young workforce, while its poultry, dairy, aquaculture, feed and food-processing sectors continue to evolve. Developing skilled professionals will be essential to support this growth.

Contributing to National Protein Security – Workforce development has implications that extend beyond individual companies. Protein is fundamental to human growth, development and health. Ensuring a reliable supply of safe, nutritious and affordable protein is therefore an important component of national food security. A skilled workforce can contribute to protein security by improving production efficiency, feed utilisation, food safety, quality management, processing, preservation and distribution. Training can also encourage professionals to adopt more sustainable approaches, reduce waste and explore innovative technologies capable of meeting future demand. In this context, capacity building should be viewed as a strategic investment in national protein secure.
Mr. Kevin Roepke, Executive Director for Middle East, North Africa and South Asia (MENASA), USSEC, has emphasised the importance of investing in people and human capital development. According to Mr. Roepke, human capital development is a critical driver of organisational growth. Companies that prioritise workforce development are better positioned to achieve higher performance and stronger employee retention. He also highlighted the opportunity presented by India’s young and dynamic workforce. The establishment of SEC India reflects USSEC’s commitment to supporting the development of India’s agriculture and food sectors while creating opportunities for the next generation of professionals.

Dr. Vijay Anand, Center Lead – India, Soy Excellence Center, described SEC India as a reflection of USSEC’s commitment to its mission of “feeding the minds of those who will feed the world.” The program is designed to develop the next generation of agricultural professionals by providing access to technical knowledge, global expertise and continuing education. The SEC model also creates an international community in which professionals can learn from experts and from one another, helping to facilitate knowledge exchange across borders. Dr. Vijay highlighted SEC India as more than simply a training programme. It is a transformative digital continuing-education platform designed to encourage lifelong learning. Participants can engage with educational content, peers and experts from around the world, creating a global exchange of knowledge and experience. This global community is particularly valuable for

professionals in emerging markets, where access to specialised international expertise can help accelerate industry development. Dr. Vijay Anand said today India is number one in dairy, number 2 in aqua, number 2 in egg production, number 4 in broiler production and number 5 in global feed milling worldwide. So to cater this growing industry, SEC-India is playing an important role. India is a great consumer market and shall open doors for International Trade. SEC-India is preparing the workforce to support the market which is ready for the transformation.

A Global Community of Protein Professionals
One of the most valuable aspects of the Soy Excellence Center concept is that it goes beyond individual courses. It is creating a global community of protein professionals connected through education, knowledge sharing and common industry objectives. By strengthening workforce capabilities, SEC is helping businesses improve their technical expertise while contributing to the development of stronger and more resilient food supply chains. For emerging markets such as India, these initiatives can help bridge knowledge gaps and accelerate the adoption of global best practices.

The Road Ahead
The future of the global protein industry will depend not only on access to raw materials, technology and investment, but also on the availability of skilled people who can effectively utilise these resources. The challenges facing the protein sector—from rising demand and sustainability to food safety, digitalisation and resource efficiency—require professionals who are continuously learning and adapting. The Soy Excellence Center represents a forward-looking approach to this challenge. By investing in knowledge, skills and people, USSEC is supporting the development of professionals who can contribute to more efficient, innovative and sustainable food and protein systems.

As Anne Meis, Chair of the Soy Excellence Center, represents the farming community at the foundation of the U.S. soy value chain, her involvement also reflects an important connection between farmers and the professionals who ultimately use soy across the global food, feed and protein industries. The message is clear: the future of protein security depends not only on what we produce, but also on what we know and how effectively we apply that knowledge. In a rapidly changing world, investing in people is perhaps one of the most important investments the food and agriculture industry can make.

Ricky Thaper: Let’s begin with the operating context. What makes broiler production in Saudi Arabia different from other markets?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: Commercial broiler production in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia operates under demanding climatic and economic conditions. You have high ambient temperatures, a real need for precise environmental control and intense pressure on both feed efficiency and carcass quality. In that environment, consistent house management stops being a housekeeping issue and becomes a direct determinant of flock performance and farm profitability.

Ricky Thaper: And that is what prompted the comparison you ran?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: Yes. We conducted a multi-farm comparison between houses equipped with Poulta’s real-time environmental monitoring platform and comparable non-monitored houses operating under the same production system. The purpose was to quantify the difference in key performance indicators when continuous visibility and rapid response capability were available to farm teams. Everything we published from that exercise is the actual recorded cumulative outcome. No projected, estimated, or generalized industry figures were included.

Ricky Thaper: What exactly was deployed on the monitored houses?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: Poulta’s platform provided continuous monitoring of critical environmental parameters together with real-time alerts and performance dashboards. Farm teams received ongoing visibility into house conditions, which let them identify deviations earlier and take corrective action more promptly than is typically possible with conventional, less frequent observation methods.

Ricky Thaper: Was anything else changed on those farms?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: Nothing. The system did not alter genetics, feed formulation, or housing infrastructure. The primary operational difference between the two groups was the presence of continuous data visibility and the ability to respond to environmental and performance signals in near real time. That is an important point, because it isolates what the comparison is actually measuring.

Ricky Thaper : Let’s go to the numbers. What did the monitored houses record?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: Across the recorded cumulative results, total loss on a farm basis was 3.569% with Poulta against 4.040% without, a reduction of 0.471 percentage points. On a PPL basis, loss was 5.189% against 5.42%, a reduction of 0.231 percentage points. FCR came in at 1.331 against 1.353, an improvement of 0.022 points. Average live weight was 1,356 g against 1,343 g, a gain of 13 g. And B grades fell from 21.71% to 18.165%, a reduction of 3.55 percentage points.

Ricky Thaper: Take the livability figure first. How much does 0.471 percentage points actually matter to a producer?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: Lower mortality and culling percentages increase the number of birds that reach market age. On a single house it looks small. Over large placements it compounds into a meaningful increase in total saleable output per cycle, and it does so without any increase in placement density or any change in genetic stock. You are simply losing fewer of the birds you already placed.

Ricky Thaper: The feed conversion result?Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: FCR improved from 1.353 to 1.331. In commercial broiler production, feed is the largest single cost item, so an improvement of this magnitude directly reduces the quantity of feed required to produce each kilogram of live weight. What makes the result credible is that FCR improved while average live weight also increased. The gain was not achieved by harvesting lighter birds. The monitored houses converted feed more efficiently while still delivering higher final weights.

Ricky Thaper: Thirteen grams per bird sounds marginal. Is it?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: On a per-bird basis, yes, it is modest. But weight has to be read alongside loss. Higher weight combined with a lower loss percentage increases the total kilograms of live weight produced per house. Multiply that across multiple houses and repeated cycles and the cumulative effect on farm output becomes commercially relevant.

Ricky Thaper: The grading improvement is the largest single movement in the set. Why does that matter so much?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: The proportion of B-grade birds fell from 21.71% to 18.165%, a reduction of 3.55 percentage points. A lower B-grade percentage improves the overall product mix delivered to the processing plant and supports better average realization per bird. That is particularly valuable in markets where grade differentials affect pricing and customer specifications, which is very much the case here.

Ricky Thaper: Was there any indicator that moved against you?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: No. All four primary indicators moved in a favorable direction simultaneously. The monitored houses recorded lower total loss, more efficient feed conversion, higher average live weight, and an improved grading profile. That pattern of better survival, better conversion, higher weight, and better quality is consistent with tighter environmental control and earlier intervention on emerging issues throughout the production cycle.

Ricky Thaper: How would you summarize the commercial effect for a producer reading this?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: Four things. More saleable birds per placement because of reduced total loss. Lower feed cost per kilogram of live weight because of improved FCR. Additional live weight per bird reaching market. And a higher-value product mix through the reduced B-grade percentage. All of it achieved under commercial operating conditions without changes to genetics, feed formulation, or major housing infrastructure.

Ricky Thaper: Does that make the approach easy to scale?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: It does, and that is the practical argument. Because the improvements are driven by better information and faster response rather than capital-intensive upgrades, the approach scales across existing commercial complexes. You are not asking a producer to rebuild houses. You are asking them to see what is happening inside the ones they already have.

Ricky Thaper: Your closing thought?
Joseph Biju Kuruvilla: In commercial Saudi broiler operations, the presence of real-time monitoring and the capacity for rapid corrective action were associated with simultaneous improvements in livability, feed efficiency, growth, and carcass quality. The data supports the conclusion that consistent environmental control, enabled by continuous visibility, remains a high-leverage intervention for producers seeking more predictable performance and stronger economic outcomes.

For businesses operating in thermally demanding environments and under tight cost and quality pressure, the ability to see house conditions continuously and act before small deviations become performance losses is a practical route to structural improvement in farm results (Results based on monitored operations. Actual performance may vary).

Introduction

Why it matters in modern poultry production
– Rapid multiplication of Eimeria can produce substantial intestinal injury within a short period.
– Subclinical coccidiosis may reduce feed efficiency, growth and flock uniformity without dramatic clinical signs.
– High oocyst contamination of litter increases exposure and repeated infection pressure.
– Effective control requires attention to parasite biology, farm management and appropriate anticoccidial programmes.

Etiology
Seven major Eimeria species are recognized in chickens. E. acervulina and E. maxima are frequently encountered, while E. tenella is particularly pathogenic and associated with severe caecal disease and haemorrhage (Yaqub et al., 2023). Species differ in preferred intestinal sites, lesion patterns and pathogenicity.

Transmission
The principal route is faecal–oral transmission. Birds ingest sporulated oocysts from contaminated litter, feed, water, equipment or the environment. Moisture, oxygen and suitable temperature favour sporulation, allowing infective oocysts to accumulate and maintain the infection cycle (Pal et al., 2023).
Life Cycle of EIMERIA

Ingestion of sporulated oocysts → release of sporozoites → epithelial invasion → multiplication → gamete formation → oocyst formation → faecal shedding → environmental sporulation.

Clinical Signs
Severity depends on Eimeria species, infective dose, bird age, immunity and environmental management. Signs include reduced feed intake, depression, ruffled feathers, drooping wings, enteritis, diarrhoea or dysentery, poor growth and increased mortality in severe cases (Pal et al., 2023).
– Reduced body-weight gain and flock uniformity
– Poor feed conversion and production performance
– Diarrhoea or blood-stained droppings in severe infections
– Dehydration, weakness and depression
– Mortality when tissue damage and blood loss are extensive
Species-specific sites

Post-Mortem Lesions
Post-mortem examination helps identify likely Eimeria species and estimate the distribution and severity of intestinal damage. Lesion patterns should be interpreted with clinical findings, litter condition, performance data and, where appropriate, laboratory diagnosis (Pal et al., 2023; Yaqub et al., 2023).

Key lesion patterns

Prevention and Control
Effective control integrates anticoccidial programmes with litter management, hygiene, stocking-density control, ventilation and sound flock management. Continuous or inappropriate use of a single anticoccidial can contribute to reduced efficacy and resistance selection; rotation, shuttle programmes, combinations and vaccination are among approaches used for longer-term control (Usman et al., 2011; Chapman, 2017; Noack et al., 2019).

Anticoccidial programmes
– Rotation changes the active ingredient or mode of action between production cycles.
– Shuttle programmes use different anticoccidial strategies during different feed phases.
– Combination programmes can broaden anticoccidial activity and may help address reduced sensitivity when appropriately designed (Chapman & Rathinam, 2022).
– Vaccination can provide controlled exposure to selected Eimeria strains and support protective immunity.

Ionophore vs Chemical

Combination programmes
Combining compatible anticoccidial activities can broaden control and reduce dependence on a single mode of action. Programme selection should consider disease pressure, previous anticoccidial history, susceptibility patterns, compatibility and label requirements (Chapman & Rathinam, 2022).

STALLEN’S DUAL APPROACH TO COCCIDIOSIS CONTROL
Stallen South Asia offers a dual approach to coccidiosis management with Manacox Plus, bringing together ionophore and chemical anticoccidial activity in one formulation. This approach is designed to support practical, structured coccidiosis-control programmes while reducing dependence on a single mode of action.

MANACOX PLUS
Manacox Plus is a dual-active anticoccidial formulation combining an ionophore and a chemical anticoccidial. It contains Monensin Sodium 8% + Nicarbazin 8% for practical coccidiosis prevention programmes in broilers.
Key Product Points

WHY A DUAL APPROACH
Using monensin sodium together with nicarbazin brings ionophore and chemical anticoccidial activity into one formulation. This can fit structured prevention programmes where the objective is effective control without unnecessary reliance on a single mode of action. Use should follow the approved label and veterinary guidance.
Practical use
– Use within a planned farm coccidiosis-control programme.
– Maintain good litter quality, ventilation, stocking density and drinker management.
– Review anticoccidial history and flock response when planning future programmes.
– Follow approved dose, withdrawal period and compatibility instructions.

References are available on request.

Introduction

Gut: The First Line of Immune Defence
The intestinal defence system consists of several interconnected components, including the mucus layer, intestinal epithelial cells, tight junctions, antimicrobial substances, gut microbiota and gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).

The epithelial cells form a physical barrier between the intestinal contents and the internal tissues. Tight-junction proteins such as occludin, claudins and ZO-1 regulate the movement of substances between epithelial cells. The mucus layer provides an additional protective environment, while immune cells located within and beneath the intestinal mucosa continuously monitor microbial and dietary antigens.
Thus, the intestine acts as both a selective absorption system and an immune surveillance system.

Gut Microbiota and Immune Development
The intestinal tract contains a complex microbial ecosystem. A balanced microbial population can contribute to pathogen exclusion, production of microbial metabolites, maintenance of intestinal integrity and modulation of host immune responses.
Beneficial microorganisms and their metabolites communicate with intestinal epithelial cells and immune cells. Among these metabolites, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate and butyrate are particularly important because they can influence epithelial health, immune-cell activity and inflammatory responses. Therefore, gut microbiota and immunity have a bidirectional relationship. A healthy microbiota supports a healthy intestinal barrier and balanced immune signalling. At the same time, the immune system regulates microbial populations and helps maintain intestinal homeostasis.
What Happens When Gut Health Is Compromised?
Commercial poultry are exposed to several factors capable of disturbing gut integrity, including coccidiosis, bacterial pathogens, mycotoxins, heat stress, poor water quality, nutritional imbalance and dysbiosis.

A compromised gut can result in epithelial damage, disruption of tight junctions, increased intestinal permeability, inflammation and oxidative stress, altered immune response and reduced performance. This process is sometimes described as increased “intestinal permeability” or “leaky gut.”

When intestinal integrity is compromised, nutrients may not be utilized efficiently and microbial products can interact more extensively with host immune mechanisms. The bird may consequently spend additional nutrients and metabolic resources on inflammation and tissue repair rather than growth or egg production.

Coccidiosis, Mycotoxins and Heat Stress

Coccidiosis is a classic example of the gut–immune relationship. Eimeria infection damages intestinal epithelial cells, alters intestinal morphology and stimulates an inflammatory and immune response. Consequently, coccidiosis control is not only a parasite-management issue but also a gut health, nutrition and immune-management issue.

Similarly, mycotoxins can affect intestinal integrity, oxidative status, microbial balance and immune function. Their impact may therefore extend beyond the feed itself to the overall gut–immune axis.

Heat stress is particularly important in tropical poultry production. Heat stress can alter feed intake, intestinal physiology, microbial balance and barrier integrity, potentially increasing inflammatory and oxidative stress. Maintaining gut integrity during heat stress is therefore an important component of maintaining flock resilience.

Gut Health and Vaccine Response
An effective vaccination program depends on the bird’s ability to recognize antigens and develop appropriate humoral and cellular immune responses. This requires adequate availability of energy, amino acids, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Therefore, gut health indirectly supports the nutritional foundation required for immune responses. A healthy intestine facilitates nutrient digestion and absorption, while intestinal inflammation or damage can increase nutrient requirements for tissue repair and immune activity. It is important, however, to recognize that good gut health alone does not guarantee vaccine success. Vaccine quality, administration, maternal immunity, biosecurity, disease pressure, nutrition and environmental conditions also influence the final immune response.

Nutritional Support for the Gut–Immune Axis
Nutrition is one of the most important tools for supporting the gut–immune relationship. Zinc contributes to epithelial integrity, cellular proliferation, enzyme activity and immune-cell function. Selenium is an important component of antioxidant defence systems and supports cellular protection and immune function. Vitamins A and E also contribute to mucosal integrity, antioxidant protection and immune responses.
Nutritional interventions such as probiotics, prebiotics, postbiotics, organic acids, enzymes, yeast-derived products, MOS and β-glucans may be used as part of integrated gut-health programs. MOS can support gut health through microbial interactions and pathogen-exclusion mechanisms, while β-glucans can interact with innate immune pathways and influence immune-cell activity. However, responses depend on product source, structure, dose, bird age, diet and challenge conditions; therefore, these products should be evaluated based on scientific evidence and field performance rather than assuming that all products have identical effects.

Practical Approach for Commercial Poultry
A successful gut-health program should not depend on a single feed additive. It should combine:
– High-quality and properly stored feed
– Regular mycotoxin monitoring and management
– Good drinking-water quality and sanitation
– Effective coccidiosis control
– Appropriate vaccination and biosecurity
– Heat-stress management
– Balanced amino acid, vitamin and mineral nutrition
– Appropriate use of probiotics, prebiotics/postbiotics and other gut-health products
– Monitoring of litter quality, feed intake, FCR, mortality and flock uniformity

Conclusion
The gut and immune system should be viewed as two interconnected components of the same biological defence network. A healthy intestinal microbiota, intact epithelial barrier and properly functioning GALT provide the foundation for balanced immune development and response. For commercial poultry, the concept is simple: “Protect the gut to support immunity, and support immunity to maintain flock resilience.”
Gut health is therefore not only about digestion and FCR. It is closely connected with nutrient utilization, immune development, disease resistance, vaccine responsiveness and ultimately flock productivity.
The future of poultry nutrition will increasingly focus on managing the gut–microbiota–immune axis through integrated nutrition, health and farm-management strategies rather than addressing individual problems in isolation.

India is now the world’s second-largest egg producer and among the largest producers of broiler meat. The sector turns over roughly ₹2.7 lakh crore a year, accounts for about 16 per cent of livestock output, and supports close to five million livelihoods.

For a business that began as a rural side activity, it has become one of the fastest-compounding parts of Indian agriculture — poultry’s share of agriculture and allied output has climbed from 2.9 per cent in 2011–12 to 5.0 per cent in 2023–24.

A record price season
The headline numbers are strong. On 5 September, the National Egg Coordination Committee’s average declared rate stood at ₹5.64 per egg across 34 markets, ranging from ₹4.90 in Hospet to ₹6.20 in Kolkata. Delhi was quoted at ₹6.00, Barwala at ₹5.43 and Ludhiana at ₹5.48. That is a comfortable band for layer farms that were selling below ₹5 through much of last year.

Broilers have swung harder. Farm-gate live bird prices in the Delhi region touched ₹140 a kilogram in July against roughly ₹90 a year earlier, while retail chicken moved from about ₹240 to nearly ₹300 a kilogram. Prices have since cooled as the monsoon supply cycle normalised — north Indian integrators were quoting live bird in the mid-₹90s per kilogram in late August — but the annual average is still tracking well above FY25. Care Edge Ratings estimates broiler realisations recovered about 5 per cent year on year in FY26, with live bird averaging ₹99 a kilogram in February–March 2026, more than 20 per cent above the bird-flu-depressed fourth quarter of Fy25.
Data Box 1 · Necc Egg Rates, 5 September 2026 (₹ Per Egg)

Why the margin is not where the price is
Feed accounts for 65 to 70 per cent of the cost of producing a broiler and roughly 68 to 70 per cent of the cost of producing an egg. In a business with that cost structure, a 15 per cent move in feed wipes out a 10 per cent move in output prices. That is precisely what has happened this year.

Compound poultry feed is now selling at about ₹4,400 a quintal against roughly ₹3,600 a year ago. Maize, the energy backbone of the ration, has moved from ₹18–19 a kilogram in April to ₹27–28 a kilogram. Soybean is ruling near ₹6,900 a quintal, well above the ₹5,708 minimum support price for the 2026–27 season.

Data Box 2 · The Cost Side

Two structural forces are behind the maize spike. First, ethanol. Grain-based distilleries have become a large, price-insensitive buyer of maize, and poultry feed mills are now bidding against a sector backed by a national blending mandate. Nearly 60 per cent of India’s maize output already goes to livestock, with poultry alone accounting for roughly 47 per cent of livestock maize consumption. Second, soybean meal. India is short by an estimated 1.5 million tonnes ahead of the new crop, and soybean acreage this kharif is down 4.5 per cent year on year at 10.6 million hectares.

“India is short an estimated 1.5 million tonnes of soybean meal before the new crop arrives — and soybean acreage this season is down 4.5 per cent.”

The policy knot: imports, GM corn and a farm lobby
The livestock and feed industry have asked the Centre to permit imports of about 1.5 million tonnes of soybean meal to bridge the gap. The soybean processing industry has opposed the move, arguing that domestic supply is adequate and that imports would discourage farmers from expanding oilseed acreage. It is a familiar standoff: the same protein deficit, the same two lobbies, a different year.

Poultry industry representatives have also pressed for approval of genetically modified corn, on the argument that higher-yielding maize would give both the feed and ethanol industries cheaper raw material. Under this year’s trade arrangement with the United States, India retained protection on corn and soybean — both predominantly GM crops there — while agreeing to allow imports of distillers’ dried grains and red sorghum for animal feed. That is a partial valve, not a solution. DDGS can replace part of the energy component of a ration; it cannot replace the protein that soybean meal supplies.

For business readers, the policy question is simple to state and hard to settle: India cannot simultaneously run an aggressive ethanol programme, protect oilseed growers from imports, and supply a poultry sector growing at 7 to 8 per cent a year with cheap feed. Something has to give, and so far, the adjustment has been borne by poultry farmers and, downstream, by consumers.

Volumes keep climbing anywayRemarkably, none of this has slowed production. India produced 149.11 billion eggs in 2024–25, second only to China, with commercial farms accounting for about 84.5 per cent of output and backyard poultry the rest. CareEdge estimates egg output at around 155 billion in FY26, rising to roughly 163 billion in FY27, with total meat production moving from about 11 million tonnes to 12 million tonnes over the same period.

Data Box 3 · Production Trajectory

Poultry India puts broiler production growth at 6 to 7 per cent a year for 2026–27, concentrated in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Telangana, with the layer segment expanding more moderately on the back of productivity per bird, automation and value-added products. Andhra Pradesh alone accounts for 18.4 per cent of national egg output, Tamil Nadu 15.6 per cent and Telangana 13.0 per cent; the top five states together produce 64.4 per cent of India’s eggs.

Exports remain a modest but real business. India shipped poultry products worth USD 317.79 million in FY26, with the UAE, Oman, Maldives, Indonesia and Japan the leading destinations. Against a sector of roughly USD 31 billion, exports are still a rounding error — which is itself the opportunity, constrained mainly by disease-free-zone certification and processing infrastructure.

The demand headroom argument
The most persuasive case for investing in Indian poultry is not this year’s price cycle. It is the consumption gap. Per capita egg availability is around 100 to 105 eggs a year against the National Institute of Nutrition’s recommended 180. Per capita chicken consumption is roughly 5 kg a year against a global average close to 17.5 kg. Industry estimates suggest that a one-kilogram rise in per-person chicken consumption would add about 1.43 million tonnes of annual demand.

That headroom is being converted by three commercial forces rather than by policy: quick-service restaurants, organised retail, and the shift from live-bird wet markets to chilled and frozen products. Vertically integrated producers — who own the hatchery, the feed mill, the contract farms and increasingly the processing plant — have been the main beneficiaries, because integration is what buffers a business against the feed-price whiplash described above.
The value-of-output data makes the compounding visible. Poultry meat and eggs generated about ₹56,200 crore of output in 2011–12. By 2023–24 that figure was ₹2.67 lakh crore — a growth rate of 9.3 per cent a year for meat and 6.1 per cent for eggs, against 5.3 per cent for milk and 2.1 per cent for cereals.

“Poultry’s share of agriculture and allied output has risen from 2.9 per cent to 5.0 per cent in twelve years. Few segments of Indian agriculture have compounded faster.”

The recurring tax: disease and weather
Avian influenza remains the sector’s single largest tail risk, and 2026 has been an active year. India reported eleven H5N1 outbreaks on farms in Kerala in December, killing roughly 54,100 birds. In February, about 6,000 birds were culled at a research centre in Patna, with movement restrictions imposed across a nine-kilometre surveillance zone. In March, more than 22,000 birds were culled in Bilaspur district of Chhattisgarh, and in April Karnataka reported its first case of the year at a farm near Bengaluru.

The direct culling loss is rarely the biggest cost. The bigger hit is the demand shock: consumers step away from chicken for several weeks after every widely reported outbreak, and prices in unaffected states fall alongside those in affected ones. Q4 FY25 was a textbook case, and the strong February–March 2026 realisations look impressive partly because they are measured against that depressed base.

Weather has compounded the problem this season. A prolonged heat wave followed by a delayed and unevenly distributed monsoon raised bird mortality and cut egg production in several states, adding to the cost per marketable bird. For layer units, higher mortality in an inflated-feed environment is a double penalty: the feed has already been consumed before the bird is lost.

The industry’s answer, so far, is largely defensive — stronger vaccination protocols, farm-level biosecurity training and surveillance, alongside a push for indigenous vaccine development that would reduce cost for small and mid-sized farms.

What the ratings agencies see
For all the noise, the credit view is constructive. CareEdge describes FY26 as a year of stabilised operating performance — healthy production growth, resilient demand across retail, institutional and food-service channels, improved supply-demand balance and a recovery in profitability with a strong finish in the fourth quarter. Its FY27 outlook for the sector is stable.
The distinction worth drawing is between the organised and unorganised halves of the industry. Integrators with feed-buying scale, forward contracts and processing margins have ridden the cost cycle. Independent broiler and layer farmers, who buy feed at spot and sell birds at spot, have absorbed it. That gap is quietly accelerating consolidation — the most consequential structural trend in the sector right now, and one that will show up over the next few years in contract-farming penetration and in capital-market activity among the larger integrators.

Public support remains focused on the entrepreneurial end. The National Livestock Mission continues to offer a 50 per cent capital subsidy for parent farms, rural hatcheries and brooder-cum-mother units, aimed at small and rural producers rather than at large integrators. It builds capacity; it does not address the feed-price problem that is currently setting margins.

What to watch for the rest of FY27
• The soymeal decision. Whether the Centre permits the 1.5 million tonne import the livestock industry has requested is the single biggest swing factor for margins this year.
• New-crop maize and soybean arrivals. A good kharif arrival could pull feed back toward ₹4,000 a quintal; a poor one locks in current costs through the festive season.
• Ethanol demand for maize. The structural competitor for feed grain is not going away and will keep a floor under maize prices.
• Winter avian influenza. Outbreak seasonality peaks between December and March. Watch for demand shocks rather than culling losses.
• Festive and winter demand. Egg consumption typically strengthens from October, which should support NECC rates even if feed stays elevated.
• Consolidation and capital. Cost pressure is a filter. Expect more contract farming, more integration, and more interest in the sector from public and private capital.

“The bottom line for anyone with capital in this business: India’s poultry demand story is intact and structurally under-served, but 2026 has demonstrated that returns in this sector are set on the input side, not the output side. The operators who will do well over the next eighteen months are not the ones betting on higher chicken prices. They are the ones who have solved for feed.”

References are available on request.

The meeting commenced with an introductory address by Mr. Deepak Khosla, General Manager (Marketing), who welcomed the participants and highlighted the company’s commitment to delivering science-based solutions for the poultry industry.

Dr. Prakash Reddy, DGM (Technical), delivered a currently relevant and focused presentation on “Hatchery Vaccines and Vaccination: Catching the Future”. He emphasized on the emergence of pathogens which are critical for designing effective control strategies because it reveals key vulnerabilities, transmission dynamics (vertical), and potential immune evasion mechanisms. Highlighted the emerging vaccine technologies opening new fields of possibilities for disease control and disease management, which include genotype based vaccines, vector vaccines, immune complex vaccine etc. The novel vaccine technologies would likely impose completely novel immune pressure or selection for resistance with enhanced immunosuppression and changes in patterns of antigenic variation, tissue tropism, and invasion pathways, so should be selective. Lastly, he updated the Innovative hatchery vaccination methods adapted in India for mass administration with speed and accuracy with ease of adaptation of semi-automated subcutaneous vaccination, spray vaccination etc. in day old chicks with a check on vaccinal reactions, errors and miss outs.

The second session, “Improving Broiler Performance through Effective Water Sanitation and Precise Medication Dosing,” was presented by Dr. Datta Kulkarni, DGM (Technical). He discussed how good water quality, effective sanitation, and accurate medication dosing can help enhance broiler health, performance, and farm profitability.

The programme concluded with valuable remarks from Mr. H. S. Padda, DGM, (Marketing), who underlined the importance of adopting scientific and practical approaches to address emerging poultry health challenges. Mr. Shashi Bhushan, AGM, (Marketing), delivered the vote of thanks and expressed gratitude to the speakers and participants for making the meeting informative and successful.

The technical meeting reaffirmed Ventri Biologicals’ commitment to advancing poultry health through knowledge sharing, innovation, and effective field-level solutions.

Zamira brought together its South Asia team, global leadership and key partners for its Annual Kick-Off Meeting, held from 28–30 July 2026 at Aamby Valley, Lonavala. Under the theme “One Team, One Goal,” the three-day event provided an opportunity to reflect on the achievements of the past year, align priorities for FY27 and strengthen the capabilities and partnerships supporting Zamira’s continued growth across South Asia.

Zamira CEO Stewart Cairns travelled from Australia to open the meeting, reviewing the key drivers behind the previous year’s performance and outlining areas of focus for the year ahead.

“South Asia plays a vital role in Zamira’s global success. The dedication of our local team, combined with the strength of our partnerships, continues to set the standard for what ‘One Team, One Goal’ truly means,” Mr Cairns said.

Dr Shaveta Sood, Director South Asia, then presented the FY27 goals and priorities, setting the direction for the team for the coming year.

The program also focused strongly on the commercial, marketing and technical capabilities required to support these objectives. Dr Shailaja Rajyam, Product and Marketing Manager, presented Zamira’s marketing and new product plans, including the marketing communications that will support upcoming product introductions.

Investment in people and capability development was another key focus of the meeting. Agribusiness specialist David Faulkner and Zamira Global Trainer Jane Enciso delivered an advanced sales training program, providing the team with practical tools and strategies to strengthen customer engagement and sales performance.

A dedicated leadership development program for people managers also explored the skills and behaviours required to develop future-ready sales leaders and support the continued growth of Zamira’s people from within the organisation.

Technical learning formed an important part of the program, with Dr Sujit Kulkarni of Bextral, Netherlands, presenting on the technical aspects of ZamiBoost Immune Defence Liquid. The session provided the team with further technical insights to support informed discussions with customers.

The Kick-Off concluded on 30 July with Zamira’s Channel Partners Forum, recognising the important contribution of the distribution and strategic partners who support the company across the region. Partners received commemorative mementos bearing the message “Zamira Celebrating 16 Years of Excellence” in recognition of their loyalty and continued partnership.
The evening also celebrated the achievements of the Zamira South Asia team, with awards recognising outstanding contributions across both sales and support functions. The awards reflected the teamwork, commitment and shared purpose at the heart of this year’s theme.

Closing the event, Dr Shaveta Sood acknowledged the contribution of Zamira’s people and partners to the company’s continued progress in South Asia.

With its people, partners and priorities aligned for FY27, the Annual Kick-Off reinforced the message at the centre of Zamira’s plans for the year ahead: One Team, One Goal.