Precision Nutrition for Efficient, Resilient, and Sustainable Poultry Production

Toronto, Canada – As poultry production continues to face pressure from rising feed costs, sustainability targets, changing consumer expectations, and increasing health challenges, precision nutrition is becoming an essential strategy to optimize bird performance. During the 27th World’s Poultry Congress, aviNews International spoke with Trouw Nutrition experts about how science-based nutritional solutions, data-driven approaches, and integrated health strategies can help producers improve efficiency while supporting more sustainable poultry production.

The Shift to Precision Nutrition

For decades, poultry nutrition has focused primarily on meeting the birds’ requirements for energy, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. However, as production systems become more complex, the industry is moving toward more precise approaches that adapt nutritional strategies to specific challenges and production goals.

Precision nutrition aims to provide the right nutrients, in the right amounts, at the right time, according to the biological needs of the animal. This approach, as Roland Koedijk – the global technical manager for poultry at Trouw Nutrition – mentions, considers factors such as genetics, age, production stage, environmental conditions, health status, and management practices. By improving the accuracy of nutrient supply, producers can optimize feed efficiency, reduce nutrient losses, and support consistent flock performance.

Driving Sustainable Production through Nutrition

Sustainability has become a central priority throughout the poultry value chain, and nutrition plays a critical role in reducing the environmental footprint of production. Feed represents one of the largest contributors to poultry production costs and environmental impact. Therefore, improving feed efficiency remains one of the most effective ways to produce more output while using fewer resources. Precision feeding strategies can help reduce excess nutrient excretion by matching dietary supply more closely with bird requirements. This contributes to improved nutrient utilization, lower environmental emissions, and more efficient use of raw materials. In addition, advances in nutritional modeling and feed evaluation allow producers to better understand ingredient value and formulate diets that maintain performance while adapting to ingredient availability and market fluctuations.

Precision nutrition is a very important umbrella under which a lot of nutritional aspects go hand in hand towards building a better nutrition for the birds and later on a better production for the producers themselves. The challenge is to produce in a more sustainable way while maintaining strong economic performance. Therefore, the focus with all of the innovations is towards achieving these goals.

The Critical Role of Trace Minerals in Bird Resilience

Trace minerals tend to be overlooked; many people don’t take them into consideration when they formulate diets because they make up such a small fraction of the total formulation. “But surprisingly, they can really make a difference between poor performance and exceptional performance”, says Gavin Boerboom, the global category director for trace minerals at Trouw Nutrition.

Modern mineral programs are no longer designed simply to prevent deficiencies but to support physiological functions that influence health, productivity, and resilience throughout the bird’s life. Trace minerals such as zinc, manganese, copper, and selenium play essential roles in immune function, skeletal development, antioxidant defenses, and tissue integrity. Optimizing both the source and availability of these nutrients allows producers to better support birds during periods of stress while improving nutrient utilization and reducing unnecessary mineral excretion into the environment.

Supporting Gut Health and Performance with Phytogenics

The role of phytogenic feed additives is growing as part of integrated nutritional programs. Derived from plant extracts and essential oils, phytogenics are increasingly being used to support digestive function, feed efficiency, and bird robustness while complementing broader health and management strategies.

According to Lauren Dawson – the associate brand manager for monogastrics at Trouw Nutrition, phytogenic solutions can help stimulate digestive processes, support a balanced intestinal environment, and improve nutrient utilization. Rather than acting as standalone solutions, they are most effective when incorporated into comprehensive nutrition and health programs that also include sound management, biosecurity, and precision feeding practices.

The Future of Poultry Nutrition

As the poultry sector continues to evolve, nutrition will increasingly move toward more personalized and adaptive strategies. Future production systems will rely on a combination of scientific research, nutritional modeling, digital technologies, and practical field experience to optimize decisions at farm level. Rather than focusing only on maximizing production, the industry is increasingly looking for solutions that improve efficiency, resilience, and sustainability simultaneously. By combining precision nutrition with integrated flock management, producers can better navigate current challenges while preparing for the future demands of global poultry production.