dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health has announced the launch of Hy-D® Poultry Tablets, an effervescent solution for water designed to provide poultry with rapid vitamin D₃ support during critical periods, including transport, vaccination, heat stress, disease challenges and processing.
Stress can reduce feed intake, impair digestion and affect vitamin D metabolism. This can compromise skeletal health, muscle function, immune response and overall flock performance at times when birds may already be under additional pressure.
Hy-D® Poultry Tablets dissolve evenly within four to six minutes in water and deliver 25-hydroxy vitamin D₃. Unlike standard vitamin D₃, 25-hydroxy vitamin D₃ does not require hepatic conversion, allowing it to be absorbed and act rapidly. It also provides more than 80% bioavailability, compared with approximately 65% for standard vitamin D₃.
Hy-D® Poultry Tablets support bone mineralisation, muscle development, immune response and meat yield, helping producers maintain flock performance through critical periods. This format allows producers to respond quickly when birds are experiencing heat, enteric challenges, or when feed intake may be reduced.
Carlos Lozano, Global Product Manager for Carotenoids and Hy-D®at dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition & Health, said: “We’ve seen the drastic effects the recent heatwave across Europe had on poultry’s health. Critical periods like these can quickly affect a bird’s vitamin D₃ status, with potential consequences for skeletal health, immune response and performance. Hy-D® Poultry Tablets give producers a practical way to provide targeted vitamin D support when birds need it most.
“The tablet format is simple to store, dose and administer on farm. Its rapid dissolution and visible colour signal allow producers to act quickly and provide clear confirmation that the product has been properly dispersed.”
In a controlled trial conducted by dsm-firmenich, broilers receiving Hy-D® Poultry Tablets showed higher plasma 25-hydroxy vitamin D₃ levels than birds receiving vitamin D₃ through feed. The trial also recorded improvements in weight gain and feed conversion, with a return on investment comparable to feed-based Hy-D®.
