dsm-firmenich launches Hy-D® Poultry for stress support

SWITZERLAND – dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health has launched Hy-D Poultry Tablets, a drinking-water supplement designed to provide poultry with rapid 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ support during critical periods such as heat stress, enteric challenges and reduced feed intake.

Stress can reduce feed consumption, disrupt digestion and affect vitamin D metabolism, potentially compromising skeletal health, muscle function, immunity and overall flock performance.

The new tablet format lets producers provide targeted vitamin D support when birds are under additional physiological pressure.

Hy-D Poultry Tablets dissolve evenly in drinking water within four to six minutes and deliver 25-hydroxy vitamin D₃ (25-OH-D₃), the main circulating form of vitamin D₃.

Unlike conventional vitamin D₃, which must first be converted in the liver before it can be used in the body, 25-OH-D₃ bypasses this initial conversion step, supporting faster and more predictable uptake.

dsm-firmenich describes Hy-D as a highly bioavailable form of the vitamin D metabolite.

The company said the tablets provide more than 80% bioavailability, compared with approximately 65% for standard vitamin D₃.

The formulation is intended to support bone mineralisation, muscle development, immune response and meat yield, helping producers maintain flock performance during periods when normal feed intake may be compromised.

The tablets can be administered through drinking water during specific production or health challenges.

These include heat stress, vaccination, transport, disease challenges, gut health issues, and pre-slaughter periods, according to dsm-firmenich.

Carlos Lozano, Global Product Manager for Carotenoids and Hy-D at dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health, said recent heatwaves in Europe had highlighted the impact that critical stress periods can have on poultry health and vitamin D status.

The tablet format is also designed to simplify on-farm application.

According to dsm-firmenich, the tablets are easy to store, dose and administer, while a visible colour signal allows producers to confirm that the product has dispersed properly in drinking water.

Trial demonstrates increased vitamin D levels

In a controlled trial conducted by dsm-firmenich in Austria, broilers receiving Hy-D Poultry Tablets recorded higher plasma 25-OH-D₃ levels than birds receiving conventional vitamin D₃ through feed, according to the company.

The higher circulating levels are relevant because 25-OH-D₃ status is used as an indicator of vitamin D availability in poultry.

dsm-firmenich’s research indicates that maintaining adequate vitamin D status can support skeletal development, immune function and production performance in broilers and layers.

The company said Hy-D Poultry Tablets provide producers with a way to supplement vitamin D through water when birds face short-term challenges that can affect feed consumption or nutrient utilisation.

The launch adds a targeted delivery format to dsm-firmenich’s existing Hy-D portfolio, which provides 25-OH-D₃ for poultry, swine, ruminants and aquaculture.

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