Beta-Glucans in Poultry Nutrition: Nature’s Immune Booster

The poultry industry faces increasing pressure to reduce antibiotic use due to concerns about antimicrobial resistance. As a result, researchers and producers are exploring natural feed additives that can maintain bird health and performance. Beta-glucans (β-glucans), natural polysaccharides found in yeast, fungi, algae, and cereals, have emerged as one of the most promising alternatives. They act as biological response modifiers, priming the immune system, improving gut health, and supporting resilience against disease challenges.

Beta Glucans are beneficial for breeders, broilers, and Layers

How Beta-Glucans Work

β-glucans are recognized by the avian immune system as pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs). Once detected, they stimulate macrophages, heterophils, and other immune cells, leading to:

• Enhanced cytokine production (e.g., IL-6, TNF-α, IFN-γ).

• Improved phagocytosis and pathogen clearance.

• Altered gene expression that promotes trained innate immunity

This dual role of boosting resistance while reducing harmful inflammation makes β-glucans unique compared to antibiotics.

Evidence from Poultry Studies

1. Improved Vaccine Response

• Supplementation with yeast-derived β-1,3-glucan (Aleta™) significantly enhanced antibody titers against Newcastle Disease Virus (NDV) and improved the proportion of birds achieving protective levels.

• Another study showed β-glucan (G70) boosted NDV-specific hemagglutination inhibition titers, promoted CD4+ T-cell differentiation, and altered splenic gene expression, suggesting its potential use as a vaccine adjuvant.

2. Protection Against Enteric Diseases

• Early-life β-glucan exposure improved resilience to necrotic enteritis caused by Clostridium perfringens. While it did not reduce bacterial loads, it preserved gut morphology, organ health, and feed efficiency.

• During Eimeria (coccidiosis) challenges, β-glucan reduced intestinal lesion severity and shifted cytokine expression toward a protective Th1 response.

3. Gut Health and Morphology

• β-glucan supplementation increased villus length and goblet cell numbers in the ileum and jejunum, enhancing nutrient absorption and gut barrier function.

• This translates into better feed conversion ratios (FCR) and overall growth performance.

4. Heat Stress and Welfare

• In laying hens exposed to heat stress, β-glucan improved body weight, egg production, immune responses (IgM, IgG), and reduced cortisol levels.

• These findings highlight its role not only in disease resilience but also in stress mitigation.

Practical Applications

• Broilers: Improves vaccine efficacy, resilience to enteric pathogens, and feed efficiency.

• Layers: Enhances productivity and egg quality under stress conditions.

• Breeders: Strengthens immunity and reduces disease outbreaks in progeny.

Conclusion

Beta-glucans are more than just nutritional additives — they act as natural immune modulators, helping poultry withstand infections, stress, and production challenges. With growing restrictions on antibiotics, β-glucans represent a science-backed, consumer-friendly solution for sustainable poultry farming.

Kshamatva Bioservices: Delivering Quality Beta-Glucan

At Kshamatva Bioservices LLP, we are committed to advancing animal health through scientifically backed feed additives. Our feed-grade beta-glucan products are designed to enhance poultry performance by:

• Boosting immunity and improving vaccine response.

• Supporting gut health and resilience against enteric diseases.

• Reducing stress impact in both broilers and layers.

By supplying high-quality, consistent beta-glucan ingredients, Kshamatva Bioservices empowers farmers, integrators, and feed manufacturers to transition toward antibiotic-free, sustainable poultry production.

References

1. Horst G. et al. Effects of beta-1,3-glucan (Aleta™) on vaccination response in broiler chickens. Poultry Science. 2019.

2. He W. et al. Early-life β-glucan exposure enhances disease resilience of broiler chickens to a natural Clostridium perfringens infection. Dev Comp Immunol. 2023.

3. Cox C.M. et al. Immune responses to dietary β-glucan in broiler chicks during an Eimeria challenge. Poultry Science. 2010.

4. Cao L. et al. Beta-glucan enhanced immune response to Newcastle disease vaccine and changed mRNA expression of spleen in chickens. Poultry Science. 2023.

5. Bar-Dagan H. et al. Beta-glucans induce cellular immune training and changes in intestinal morphology in poultry. Front Vet Sci. 2023.

6. Schwartz B., Vetvicka V. β-glucans as Effective Antibiotic Alternatives in Poultry. Molecules. 2021.

7. Ezzat W. et al. Impact of β-glucan dietary supplementation on laying hens under heat stress conditions. Poultry Science. 2024.