The core role of yeast cell wall in chicken farming, yeast cell wall

      In chicken production, yeast cell wall, with its unique functions of core components β - glucan and mannan, can effectively solve the pain points of weak immunity, high incidence of intestinal diseases, and low feed utilization during the chicken breeding process. It has become an important green additive to replace antibiotic growth promoters. Its application needs to be combined with the growth stage of chickens (chicks, broiler chickens, laying hens) and production goals (survival rate, growth rate, egg laying performance). The specific functions, effects, and application suggestions are as follows:

1、 The core mechanism of yeast cell wall in chicken farming

      The efficacy of yeast cell wall mainly depends on two key components, and their synergistic effect covers the dual core requirements of "immune+intestinal":

β - glucan: strengthens the immune barrier

      As an immune activator, β - glucan can bind to the Dectin-1 receptor on the surface of chicken intestinal mucosal immune cells (such as macrophages and dendritic cells), activate intracellular signaling pathways (such as NF - κ B), promote the release of cytokines such as interleukins (IL-2, IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF - α), and ultimately enhance the body's non-specific immunity (such as a 30% -50% increase in macrophage phagocytic activity) and specific immunity (such as a 40% or more increase in antibody potency after vaccination).

Mannan: Protecting intestinal health

      The structure of mannan highly matches the type I pili (adhesion structure) on the surface of intestinal pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Clostridium perfringens, and can competitively bind to pathogens, preventing them from adhering to intestinal epithelial cells ("occupying effect"), reducing intestinal inflammation and diarrhea; Meanwhile, as a prebiotic, mannan can promote the proliferation of beneficial bacteria such as bifidobacteria and lactobacilli in the intestine, and regulate the balance of gut microbiota (increasing the proportion of beneficial bacteria by 20% -30%).

2、 Specific application effects on different types of chickens

      According to the production purpose (broiler, laying chicken) and growth stage of chickens, the application focus of yeast cell wall varies, and the effect is supported by clear data:

1. Broiler: Improve growth rate and survival rate, reduce feed to meat ratio

      The core goal of broiler farming is "fast growth, low loss", and yeast cell walls can specifically solve the problems of stress, mid-term intestinal diseases, and low feed efficiency in chicks:

Chick stage (1-21 days old)

      At this stage, the immune system of broiler chickens is immature and susceptible to environmental stress (such as temperature fluctuations, transportation) and pathogen infections. Adding 0.05% -0.1% yeast cell wall can increase the survival rate of chicks by 5% -8%, reduce diarrhea rate by 40% -60% (reduce Salmonella and Escherichia coli infections), and increase intestinal villus height by 25% -30%, improving nutrient absorption capacity.

Fertilization stage (from 22 days of age to slaughter)

      Adding 0.025% -0.05% yeast cell wall can reduce the feed to meat ratio by 0.08-0.12 (i.e., reduce feed consumption by 0.08-0.12kg per 1kg of weight gain), and increase the average slaughter weight by 5% -7%; In addition, it can reduce the incidence of ascites, necrotizing enteritis and other diseases in broilers (such as the incidence rate of necrotizing enteritis from 15% to less than 5%).

2. Egg laying hens: Extend the peak of egg production, improve egg quality, and reduce mortality rate

      Egg laying chicken farming focuses on "egg production rate, egg quality, and breeding cycle". Yeast cell walls can achieve long-term benefits by regulating immunity and intestinal health:

Pre production stage (12-18 weeks old)

      At this stage, the development of the reproductive system in laying hens is crucial. Adding 0.05% yeast cell wall can enhance the immune system of laying hens, reduce the occurrence of anal prolapse and soft shell egg production caused by stress, and lay the foundation for subsequent egg production peaks.

Peak egg production period (19-70 weeks old)

      Adding 0.03% -0.05% yeast cell wall can prolong the peak egg production time by 4-6 weeks and increase the peak egg production rate by 2% -3%; At the same time, egg quality has significantly improved: the thickness of the eggshell has increased by 5% -8% (reducing egg breakage rate), the yolk color has deepened by 1-2 Roche grades (improving marketability), and the cholesterol content in the yolk has decreased by 8% -10% (meeting the needs of healthy consumption).

Late stage of egg production (from 71 weeks of age to elimination)

      It can slow down the rate of egg production decline (from 0.8% to 0.5% per week), reduce the mortality rate of laying hens (from 8% -10% to 5% -6%), and prolong the breeding cycle.

3、 Practical application suggestions (key considerations)

Control the dosage and avoid excessive dosage

      The higher the amount of yeast cell wall added, the better: when the addition exceeds 0.1% in broiler chickens and 0.08% in laying hens, it may be due to excessive fermentation of cell wall polysaccharides in the intestine, leading to a decrease in chicken feed intake (bloating, indigestion); It is recommended to fine tune the feed based on the breed of chicken (such as white feathered broiler, yellow feathered broiler, and Hailan brown egg chicken) and the basic formula of the feed (such as whether it contains probiotics and enzyme preparations), with a recommended range of 0.025% -0.1% (based on the dry weight of the feed).

Synergistic use with other additives to enhance effectiveness

The combination of yeast cell wall and the following additives can produce a synergistic effect of "1+1>2":

      Compared with probiotics (such as Bacillus subtilis and lactic acid bacteria): Mannan provides a carbon source for probiotics, promotes their colonization, and further optimizes the gut microbiota;

      Enzyme preparations (such as phytase and xylanase): improve the degradation of anti nutritional factors (such as phytic acid and non starch polysaccharides) in feed, enhance nutrient absorption, and complement the "intestinal protection" function of yeast cell walls;

      Regarding vaccines: Adding 0.05% yeast cell wall before and after vaccination (such as COVID-19 and avian influenza vaccines) can enhance the immune response of vaccines, increase antibody potency, and maintain longer duration.

Choose high-purity and highly active products

      The effect of yeast cell wall depends on the purity of β - glucan and mannan: high-quality products need to meet the requirements of β - glucan content ≥ 20% and mannan content ≥ 30%, and undergo wall breaking treatment (cell wall breakage rate>90%) - yeast cell walls that have not been broken are difficult for chickens to digest and absorb, and cannot function effectively. It is recommended to choose products from reputable manufacturers (such as brands with a production license for feed additives and third-party testing reports).

Pay attention to the usage stage and avoid special periods

      Chickens can continue to be used 10-15 days before being slaughtered, with no risk of drug residue (yeast cell wall is a natural polysaccharide and does not belong to antibiotics or chemical drugs);

      Egg laying hens can be used throughout the egg laying period without affecting the safety of the eggs, and meet green breeding standards (suitable for producing "non resistant eggs").

4、 Application advantage: The core value of replacing antibiotics

      Under the current policy of "restriction and prohibition of antibiotics" (China has banned the use of antibiotics as growth promoters since 2020), yeast cell walls have significant advantages over traditional antibiotics

No risk of drug resistance

      Its mechanism of action is "physical occupation+immune activation", which does not exert selective pressure on pathogenic bacteria and does not lead to the development of drug-resistant bacteria;

No drug residue

      Natural polysaccharides can be degraded or excreted in the intestine and will not remain in chicken or eggs, meeting food safety standards;

Significant long-term benefits

      Not only can it solve short-term disease problems, but it can also improve intestinal health and immunity, reduce the mortality rate and feed costs throughout the breeding process, and enhance comprehensive income.

      In summary, yeast cell wall has become a core additive in modern chicken farming that is "green, efficient, and safe", especially suitable for large-scale chicken farms that pursue antibiotic free breeding and improve product quality.