At VIV Europe 2026, Ocean Harvest Technology showcased its innovative approach to seaweed-based nutrition and its potential to support poultry performance through improved gut health.
Speaking with aviNews, Bob van der Rijt explained how the Irish company has spent more than 25 years researching seaweed solutions for agriculture, focusing on identifying the right seaweed species for specific applications. Today, the company is increasingly focused on poultry, where intestinal health remains a critical factor for productivity and profitability.
Ocean Harvest Technology
Unlike many seaweed products that rely primarily on a single brown seaweed species, Ocean Harvest Technology combines brown, green, and red seaweeds in its OceanFeed Poultry range. The company also utilizes the whole seaweed rather than extracting individual compounds, allowing birds to benefit from the full range of naturally occurring bioactive components and polysaccharides.
The primary objective of OceanFeed Poultry is to support gut stability
- By promoting a healthier intestinal environment and improving nutrient absorption, the product is designed to help birds better cope with common production challenges such as heat stress, digestive disturbances, and intestinal health issues.
- For layer operations, improved gut health can translate into higher productivity and, importantly, more sellable eggs.
- Ocean Harvest Technology reports benefits in eggshell quality, helping reduce cracked and downgraded eggs while supporting overall laying performance.
Broiler Production
In broiler production, where birds have a limited timeframe to reach their growth potential, maintaining consistent gut health is essential. According to van der Rijt, stabilizing the digestive system can help improve feed conversion, support body weight gains, and reduce the impact of performance setbacks during the production cycle.
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As the poultry industry continues to seek natural and sustainable solutions, Ocean Harvest Technology believes seaweed can play an increasingly important role. By combining multiple seaweed species and leveraging their full nutritional potential, the company aims to help producers improve flock performance while supporting more sustainable production systems.
With growing interest in natural feed additives, Ocean Harvest Technology sees significant opportunities for seaweed-based solutions to become an important tool in the future of poultry nutrition.