English Precision Nutrition Strategies to Reduce Antibiotic Use and Improve Gut Health in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

The global poultry sector is rapidly transitioning to antibiotic-free production in response to consumer demand for safer, more sustainable products and concerns regarding antimicrobial resistance. Precision nutrition, which involves administering precisely the appropriate nutrients to poultry at precisely the appropriate time and in the appropriate form, is a new approach to reduce antibiotic dependence and maintain productivity. This review summarizes the latest research on nutritional and management strategies that enhance the gut health and resilience of broiler chickens. It focuses on three main areas: (1) functional feed additives (probiotics, prebiotics, synbiotics, phytogenics, organic acids, enzymes, and antimicrobial peptides); (2) precision feeding techniques (phase feeding, digestible amino acid formulation, and nutrient density adjustments); and (3) diagnostic/omics tools (microbiome profiling, nutrigenomics, that enable targeted interventions. The consistent benefits of probiotics, prebiotics, and phytogenic compounds on intestinal barrier function, pathogen suppression, and feed conversion are reported in meta-analyses and reviews, rendering them practicable AGP alternatives under commercial conditions. Precision feeding, which aligns the supply and energy of digestible amino acids with the dynamic growth requirements of the animal, reduces nutrient oversupply, enhances feed conversion, and decreases nitrogen and phosphorus excretion. Feed formulation that incorporates metabolomic and omics indicators improves immunological competence and nutrient utilization by more precisely matching food to bird physiology and gut bacteria. Evidence also suggests that combinations of additives (e.g., enzyme + probiotic; phytogenic + organic acid) frequently outperform single interventions, although responses are contingent upon the baseline health, management, and diet composition of the flock. Our findings suggest that a practical, sustainable approach to reducing antibiotic use without sacrificing performance is offered by precision nutrition, functional additives, and modern diagnostics. Future research should prioritize the development of decision-support tools that translate microbiome and nutrigenomic data into actionable dietary recommendations, standardized trial designs, and cost-benefit analyses in commercial settings.

Keywords: Alternative to antibiotics, Omic technology, Precision nutrition, AMR, Poultry nutrition, Gut microbiota