At the XXVII Central American and Caribbean Poultry Congress, held in Panama, Dr Evangelina Zárate, representative of Biovet S.A. (Spain), delivered the lecture entitled “Pronutrients and their effect on the skeletal system”.

During her presentation, the specialist addressed the main challenges faced by poultry production related to calcium and vitamin D3 deficiencies and metabolic disorders, which lead to weak eggshells, bone fractures, reduced laying performance and increased mortality. She also highlighted that inadequate nutrition, genetics, environmental stress, mycotoxins and intestinal diseases can exacerbate these conditions.

Dr Zárate explained that calcium homeostasis depends on a complex endocrine balance and the proper functioning of the intestine and liver. When this system is compromised, both productivity and bird health are affected.

As an alternative, she presented pronutrients, secondary plant metabolites which, through an epigenetic mechanism of action, modulate gene expression and support cellular functions. Among their benefits, she noted the improvement of calcium and other mineral absorption, immune reinforcement, antioxidant and anticoccidial activity (depending on the type of pronutrient), as well as a reduction in the use of drugs and other chemicals.

The speaker also shared results from trials conducted with products from the Alquernat line, developed by Biovet and based on pronutrients, which have proven to help improve eggshell quality, poultry productivity and food safety, while reducing microbial resistance and residues in food.