Natural additives instead of antibiotics — overview
Antibiotics may no longer be given preventively to a whole flock, and farmers are looking for ways to keep guts healthy without them. Natural feed additives — from herbal phytobiotics to organic acids and probiotics — support the microflora, digestion and immunity of the birds. This overview shows why alternatives are sought, which groups of additives exist and what the EU regulates. We describe each group briefly and point to the details.
verifiedFrom the team that has organised work on poultry farms for years.
Natural feed additives are ingredients added to the feed or water that support the birds’ health rather than treat them with a drug. They are not antibiotics and do not replace treating a sick flock, but they help keep the gut balanced, with better digestion and immunity, so that there is less disease. Some act like a natural “antibacterial agent” in the gut, some feed the beneficial bacteria, and others improve feed utilisation. They are preventive tools, not a miracle cure.
Why look for alternatives to antibiotics?
The reason is twofold: the law and antimicrobial resistance. Since 2022 the EU Regulation 2019/6 bans routine, preventive use of antibiotics on whole groups of animals — you treat sick birds rather than prevent disease with a drug “just in case”. The second reason is AMR, antimicrobial resistance: the more antibiotics in production, the more easily bacteria become resistant to them, which threatens the effectiveness of treating people and animals. So the emphasis has shifted to prevention: welfare, biosecurity, vaccination and exactly these natural feed additives.
What natural feed additives there are
Each group works differently and is best matched to the flock’s needs. Below is a short description — you’ll find the details of each group in separate articles.
Phytobiotics (herbal additives)
Extracts of herbs and spices — oregano, garlic, thyme, paprika — and their essential oils. They contain compounds that studies indicate support the gut microflora, limit some pathogens and improve appetite. This is the broadest and fastest-growing group of natural additives.
Organic acids
Formic, propionic, lactic acid and their salts lower the pH of feed and water and hinder the growth of bacteria such as Salmonella or E. coli. They are used to acidify water and feed and in protected forms that act further down the gut. Butyrate, which nourishes the gut lining, also belongs here.
Probiotics and prebiotics
Probiotics are live beneficial bacteria (e.g. Lactobacillus, Bacillus) that colonise the gut and crowd out pathogens. Prebiotics are their “food” — ingredients like MOS or inulin that feed the good microflora. Together they support gut balance, especially in young birds.
Feed enzymes
Phytase, xylanases and glucanases help birds digest what they cannot break down on their own — phosphorus from phytates or fibre from grains. Better digestion means fewer undigested residues in the gut for pathogens to feed on, and better feed utilisation. These are technical additives, matched to the diet composition.
Betaine, tannins and saponins
Betaine supports the cells’ water balance and helps birds cope with heat and gut load. Tannins (e.g. from chestnut) and saponins (e.g. from yucca) are plant compounds that studies link to limiting some bacteria and improving digestibility. They are used in a targeted way, since in excess they can reduce feed intake.
MCFA — medium-chain fatty acids
Caprylic, capric and lauric acid and their monoglycerides act antibacterially in the gut, including against Salmonella. They are fatty, so they work differently from organic acids and complement them well. They are dosed in the feed, usually as part of a wider gut-health programme.
Choosing additives step by step
- 1
Start with prevention, not the additive
No additive will fix poor litter, wet feed or a lack of biosecurity. First take care of a dry environment, clean water, a good microclimate and vaccination. Natural additives work as support for a healthy flock, not as a patch over management mistakes.
- 2
Define the problem you want to support
You’ll pick a different additive for Salmonella pressure, another for post-vaccination diarrhoea, and another for poor feed utilisation. Name the specific goal before reaching for a product. That lets you choose the right group — acids, probiotics, phytobiotics or enzymes — instead of buying “something natural” blindly.
- 3
Check whether the additive is approved in the EU
In the EU feed additives must be authorised under Regulation 1831/2003 and appear in the EU register of feed additives. Pay attention to the category, the target species and the recommended doses. Using approved products is a guarantee that they have been tested for safety and quality.
- 4
Stick to the recommended doses
More is not better — some additives in excess reduce feed intake or irritate the gut. Use the doses given by the manufacturer and matched to the birds’ age. Start with one change at a time, so you know what actually worked in your flock.
- 5
Combine additives sensibly
Some additives complement each other well — for example organic acids with MCFA, or probiotics with prebiotics. Others can work against each other, when an acidifier in the water harms the live bacteria of a probiotic. Plan the set as a whole and ask your supplier about combining specific products.
- 6
Observe and record the effects
Watch litter quality, gut condition at processing, flock uniformity and production results. Note what you gave and when, and what the effect was — without records it’s hard to repeat a success or spot that something isn’t working. That turns trials into knowledge about your house.
Frequently asked questions about natural additives
Will natural additives replace antibiotics?add
Not in the sense of treatment — a sick flock still needs a diagnosis and, if necessary, treatment prescribed by a veterinarian. Natural additives work preventively: they support healthy guts, microflora balance and immunity, so there tends to be less disease. They are a tool for reducing antibiotic use, not a substitute for them in therapy.
Are these additives legal and tested?add
Feed additives used in the EU must be authorised under Regulation 1831/2003 and listed in the EU register of feed additives. Authorisation means an assessment of safety, efficacy and quality, plus a defined target species and doses. That is why it’s worth choosing approved products rather than random mixes.
Does the ban cover every use of an antibiotic?add
No. Regulation 2019/6 bans routine, preventive use of antibiotics on whole groups of animals and their misuse to patch over poor conditions. Treating sick birds, prescribed by a veterinarian, is still allowed. The point is that an antibiotic should be a therapy, not a daily additive “just in case”.
Where do I start if I’m new to this?add
With management basics: dry litter, clean water, a good microclimate, biosecurity and vaccination. Only on that foundation do additives make sense. Then name the specific problem — Salmonella pressure, diarrhoea, poor feed utilisation — and match the additive group to that goal, starting with one change at a time.
Sources & resources
Record feeding and additives in DlaFerm.pl
In DlaFerm.pl, next to the flock card, you note the feeding and the additives given, and in the treatment log you record what you gave the birds and when. That makes it easier to link an additive to its effect. Create a free account or write to us.
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