Integrative Insights into Broiler Gut Health: Microbiome Dynamics, Nutritional Strategies, and Sustainable Interventions for Enhanced Health and Productivity
A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Poultry".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 15 June 2026 | Viewed by 7
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
The gastrointestinal tract is essential for the health, growth, and productivity of broiler chickens, serving as the primary site for nutrient absorption, immune system maturation, and dynamic host–microbe interactions. In recent years, the broiler gut has emerged as a key determinant of not only bird performance but also resilience to disease and environmental stressors. Advances in high-throughput sequencing and metabolomics have revealed the remarkable complexity of the gut microbiota and its critical role in shaping host physiology. As the poultry industry reduces antibiotic use to address antimicrobial resistance and move toward more sustainable production, the search for alternative strategies to maintain gut health and performance has intensified. Innovations in litter management, feed additives such as phytobiotics (plant-derived compounds), prebiotics (non-digestible ingredients that stimulate beneficial microbes), and organic acids, as well as early-life microbial priming, represent promising avenues for improving bird health and productivity. Despite these advances, important questions remain regarding the precise roles of specific microbial populations, optimal nutritional interventions, and practical approaches for flock-wide implementation. This Special Issue brings together the latest research and practical innovations to deepen our understanding of broiler gut health and supports the development of integrative, science-driven solutions for sustainable poultry production.
Dr. Deji Abiodun Ekunseitan
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- one health
- microbial priming
- host–microbe interactions
- multi-omics
- antimicrobial resistance
- competitive selective exclusion
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