Nutrigenomics: The Science That’s Transforming Poultry
Written by Dr. Laiba Idrees
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Lecturer – Animal Sciences
College of Agriculture, University of Sargodha
After years of research, consultation, and public outreach, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA-FSIS) has made the official withdrawal of its proposed regulation to manage Salmonella contamination in raw poultry.
As the world is hustling to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations i.e. no poverty, zero hunger, good health and well-being, high-quality education, climate action, and ecosystem management—the poultry industry must make major progress. The industry, society, and the planet will all get benefit from this in the future. As for farmers in Pakistan, one of the main sources of income is the poultry sector. Animal feed accounts for about 60–70% of all inputs used in production. Therefore, the economics of the poultry industry are heavily reliant on how well the birds use their feed.
Nutritionists and microbiologists have been working to reduce losses and understand the complicated microbial ecosystem of gut by using molecular techniques which are helpful to solve unexplained nutrition-related mysteries at genetic level. Along this nutritional diseases and metabolic disorders can be prevented or clinically managed by the help of nutrigenomics.
What is Nutrigenomics?
One of the fields of study that is now expanding the fastest is nutrigenomics. Experts in the field use the term “nutrigenomics” to refer to the ways in which dietary factors affect an individual’s genetic expression. Nutrigenomics explores how dietary components can affect gene expression through epigenetic mechanism via DNA methylation, Histone modification and Non-coding RNA.
In DNA methylation, dietary methyl groups provided by nutrients like folate and choline can be used to methylate DNA effecting gene expression. Likely, another mechanism is histone modification in which histone acetylation or methylation can also affect gene expression. Changes in gene expression can also be mediated by non-coding RNA molecules. The poultry industry uses nutrigenomics to better understand how the food given to birds affects their genes and in this way farmers can improve how well chickens use their feed, boost their immune system, and help them fight diseases-so they don’t need as many antibiotics. It also helps to correlate nutrition and genetics in breeding programs.
For example, adding omega-3 fatty acids to broiler feed can turn on certain genes that reduce inflammation in the gut, making the birds healthier and grow better. In this process, omega-3 fatty acids influence DNA expression by interacting with transcription factors (like NF-κB and PPARs), which turn specific genes on or off.
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Downregulate genes like IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α (pro-inflammatory) -
Upregulate genes like IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytok
This changes how the DNA is read, leading to less production of inflammatory molecules and more anti-inflammatory proteins in the gut.
This smart feeding method also saves money on feed and reduces waste, making the farm more sustainable because Nutrigenomics uses genetic data to determine an animal’s specific nutrient requirements instead of using generic feed formulas. Similarly, Carvacrol, cinnamaldehyde, and oleoresin from Capsicum spp. and Turmeric, garlic metabolites, anethole, all have positive effects on the immune response and protection of the GIT. These substances can alter the expression of genes controlling immunity and physiology thereby supporting the belief that phytochemicals derived from plants have immune-regulating properties.
The gene expression patterns revealed that when yeast cell wall-supplemented broilers were tested against the common antibiotic bacitractin, their biological processes and functions were better activated in terms of metabolism and health.
In broilers, another good example of using nutrigenomics is adding butyrate to their feed. Butyrate is a type of fatty acid that helps control certain genes work, especially those related to nutrients absorption by increasing gene’s activity which strengthen the gut lining and improve the intake of nutrients (e.g, SGLT1 and PEPT1 genes). This makes the birds use their feed more efficiently resulting better growth and lower feed costs and also the birds get sick less often, and hence farmers can use fewer antibiotics and run a more sustainable poultry operation.
Mechanism of Action: Birds eat feed that contains a variety of nutrients, including fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and bioactive substances (including probiotics and polyphenols). The bloodstream carries nutrients to the target tissues (liver, muscle, immune organs, etc.) after they are absorbed in the gut. When nutrients or their metabolites enter cells, they interact with transcription factors or nuclear receptors. Certain genes are activated or repressed as a result of these interactions.
For Instance, Genes work like light switches inside every cell. When a gene is turned on, it tells the cell to make a certain protein, which might help with growth, fighting disease, or dealing with stress. When a gene is turned off, that protein is not made. One such example is in hot weather, a chicken’s body might turn on heat shock protein genes to help protect its cells. When farmers add curcumin (a natural extract from turmeric) to chicken feed, it helps the birds fight heat stress by turning on genes that protect their cells. This means birds stay healthier in hot weather, eat better, and grow faster—leading to more profit for the farmer.
Likely, GPx and SOD are examples of antioxidant genes that are activated by selenium.
Heat stress triggers the activation of heat shock protein (HSP) genes.
Omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the expression of pro-inflammatory genes resulting in decreased levels of stress hormones (such corticosterone). Through the use of nutrigenomics techniques, we will be able to determine exactly which nutrient or combination of nutrients is best for obtaining the greatest number of benefits.
In broilers, one good example is Butyrate a type of fatty acid that helps control how certain genes work, especially those related to gut health and how nutrients are absorbed. Studies have shown that butyrate can increase the activity of genes that strengthen the gut lining and improve the way nutrients are taken in, like the genes SGLT1 and PEPT1 resulting in healthier gut and helps the birds use their feed more efficiently along this less sickness means fewer antibiotics and run a more sustainable poultry operation.
These recent findings from nutrigenomics studies clearly offer new avenues for developing effective drug free alternative strategies for disease control for poultry infectious diseases.
Nutrigenomics allows the fine-tuning of genes and DNA found in all of an animal’s cells and tissues through the selection of nutrients. For instance, maintaining the stress response gene turned off with appropriate feeding makes the animal healthier and more productive. Therefore, nutrigenomics is a technique to produce animal feed/food that matches its genotype, to choose nutrients that are fine-tuned with the animal’s genes, and to comprehend how nutritional management affects the animal’s performance.
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Benefits to Farmer and Industry:
1. Lower feed costs → Better feed efficiency via optimized gene responses.
2. Reduced antibiotic use → Stronger immunity from nutrigenomic diets.
3. Improved heat resistance → Birds survive and perform better in hot climates.
4. Higher productivity → Healthier birds → more eggs, faster growth.
So if the results of nutrigenomics studies are harmonized with standard poultry feeding practices, profitable poultry production including welfare of the birds can be achieved to meet the escalating demand for good quality poultry protein.
Future outlook of Nutrigenomics in the poultry industry:
1. Precision Nutrition: Tailoring feed formulations to specific genetic profiles of poultry breeds for optimal growth, health, and disease resistance. – Example: Cobb-Vantress, a leading broiler breeder, partners with nutritionists to develop breed-specific feed formulations that optimize growth, feed efficiency, and health.
Practical application: A Cobb-Vantress broiler farm uses a precision nutrition approach to formulate feed with optimal protein, energy, and amino acid levels, resulting in improved growth rates (e.g., 2.5 kg in 35 days) and feed conversion ratios (e.g., 1.6).
2. Personalized Poultry Diets: Creating customized diets based on genetic markers to enhance desirable traits and improve production efficiency.
Example: Researchers at the University of Arkansas develop genetic markers for feed efficiency in broilers. They create personalized diets based on these markers, resulting in improved feed conversion ratios and reduced environmental impact.
Practical application: A commercial broiler farm adopts this approach, using genetic testing to identify birds with desirable feed efficiency traits. They formulate customized diets to enhance these traits, reducing feed costs and environmental footprint
3. Targeted Epigenetic Modifications: Enhancing the traits like disease resistance and growth performance without genetic modification.
Example: Scientists at the University of Illinois discover that in ovo feeding of specific nutrients (e.g., folate) can enhance disease resistance in chickens. They develop a commercial product that provides these nutrients to embryos, resulting in healthier chicks.
Practical application: A hatchery adopts this technology, providing in ovo feeding of folate-enriched nutrients to embryos. The resulting chicks exhibit improved disease resistance, reducing mortality rates and antibiotic use
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4. Functional Feeds: Developing feeds enriched with bioactive compounds to improve meat quality, sustainability, and poultry health.
Example: A feed company develops a functional feed enriched with prebiotics and phytogenic compounds to improve gut health and immune function in broilers.
Practical application: A broiler farm uses this functional feed, resulting in improved growth rates, reduced mortality, and enhanced meat quality. The farm also benefits from reduced antibiotic use and improved sustainability.
Designing bird feed according to individual genetic makeup is still a complex and challenging task. Currently, nutrigenomics in poultry focuses on:
- Breed-specific feed formulations: Tailoring feed to specific breeds or genetic lines.
Examples:
A feed formulation designed for broiler chickens might prioritize rapid growth and muscle development, while a feed for layer hens might focus on egg production and shell quality.
2. Trait-specific feed design: Designing feed to enhance specific traits, like growth rate or egg production.
Examples:
A feed designed to enhance growth rate might contain optimized levels of protein, energy, and amino acids, while a feed for improving egg production might focus on calcium and vitamin D3 levels.
By tailoring feed to specific breeds or traits, farmers can:
Improve performance: Enhance growth rate, egg production, or other desired traits.
Reduce waste: Optimize nutrient levels to minimize waste and environmental impact.
Improve bird health: Provide targeted nutrition to support immune function and overall health.
Hence, Nutrigenomics can only provide part of the solution in response to non genetic factors involved in an individual’s health and production.