led by the University of Bristol have identified a naturally occurring gut molecule that appears able to strengthen chickens’ immune response against bacterial infections.
The work focuses on sodium butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid produced naturally by gut bacteria. The team traced how it can influence immune cells, raising the possibility of protecting poultry against infections such as Salmonella and avian pathogenic E. coli with less reliance on antibiotics.
That matters beyond farming. Reducing unnecessary antibiotic use in livestock is one part of the wider effort to slow antimicrobial resistance, which can make infections harder to treat in both animals and people.
The is an early step rather than a ready-made farm , but it offers a promising route for developing more ways to protect animal health.