Why DPI Saponins Are Nature’s Answer to Enteric Health in Poultry
By Bill Johnson & Dani Wilder
DPI GLOBAL
Maintaining strong enteric health is one of the most persistent challenges in poultry production. From early gut development through market age, the health of the gastrointestinal tract directly influences feed efficiency, growth consistency, and overall flock performance. When gut health is compromised, the impacts are often visible and costly—reducing productivity while increasing management pressure.
As the poultry industry continues to balance performance demands with animal well-being and sustainability expectations, producers are increasingly seeking natural solutions that support gut health proactively, rather than reacting after problems arise. This is where DPI saponins play an important role.
Enteric Health: The Foundation of Poultry Performance
The poultry gut is more than a digestive organ; it is central to nutrient absorption, immune function, and resilience to enteric stressors. Common challenges such as dietary transitions, environmental stress, pathogen exposure, and management changes can disrupt gut integrity, leading to inflammation and reduced nutrient utilization.
When enteric health is weakened, producers often see downstream effects such as:
- Reduced growth rates
- Poorer feed conversion
- Increased variability within flocks
Supporting enteric health requires more than addressing symptoms after performance declines. Proactive strategies that strengthen gut function help birds better manage stressors before they translate into measurable losses.
Understanding Saponins and Their Role in the Gut
Saponins are naturally occurring plant compounds known for their unique surface-active properties. Within the gastrointestinal tract, these properties allow saponins to interact with the gut environment in ways that support digestive efficiency and gut stability.
Rather than masking issues or acting as a short-term fix, saponins work within the digestive system to help create conditions that favor consistent nutrient utilization and long-term gut health. This makes them particularly valuable as part of a preventative, nutrition-based approach to enteric health management.
What Makes DPI Saponins Different
While saponins are not new to animal agriculture, not all saponin sources are the same. DPI GLOBAL has spent more than 60 years refining its approach to saponin-based solutions, with a focus on consistency, functionality, and real-world performance.
DPI saponins are carefully sourced from renewable plant materials and processed using an extraction-based approach designed to isolate the key active compounds. Rather than relying on whole or minimally processed plant material, DPI extracts and concentrates the functional components responsible for saponins’ activity in the gut. These extracted compounds are then blended onto a proprietary carrier, creating a consistent, stable product that performs predictably for the end user.
This controlled sourcing and extraction process is an essential factor for poultry producers, where even small variations in feed efficiency or growth can have significant economic implications at scale. By focusing on extraction, consistency, and responsible sourcing, DPI saponins can be reliably incorporated into modern poultry nutrition programs across a wide range of production systems—supporting both performance goals and long-term sustainability.
Micro-Aid®: Applying Saponin Science to Poultry Nutrition
Micro-Aid® is DPI GLOBAL’s flagship saponin-based solution, developed to support enteric health and overall poultry performance. By leveraging the functional properties of saponins, Micro-Aid® helps strengthen the gut environment, supporting birds through common enteric challenges.
Producers incorporating Micro-Aid® often focus on outcomes such as:
- Better cocci control
- Improved feed efficiency
- More uniform growth
- Greater resilience during periods of stress
Rather than serving as a reactive solution, Micro-Aid® is designed to function as part of a comprehensive nutrition and management strategy, supporting consistency and confidence in flock performance over time.
Natural Solutions That Align With Modern Production Goals
Today’s poultry industry operates under increasing expectations—not only for productivity, but also for responsible resource use and long-term sustainability. Natural, plant-based solutions like DPI saponins align with these goals by supporting performance without residues or withdrawal periods.
By strengthening enteric health naturally, DPI products help producers shift focus from intervention to prevention, supporting both economic performance and broader sustainability objectives within modern poultry production systems.
Looking Ahead: Enteric Health as a Long-Term Strategy
Enteric health will continue to be a defining factor in poultry performance. As production systems evolve and pressures increase, solutions that support gut health at the foundation level will become even more valuable.
DPI saponins represent a practical application of natural science—one that helps connect performance, consistency, and sustainability. By focusing on gut health from the inside out, poultry producers can position their operations for stronger, more resilient outcomes today and into the future. For more information visit www.dpiglobal.com
Meet the Authors: Bill Johnson and Dani Wilder
Bill Johnson, Poultry Consultant, DPI GLOBAL
Bill brings more than 42 years of experience as an industry nutritionist, including 38 years with one of the largest poultry producers in the United States. After retiring from his role in commercial poultry production, he joined DPI GLOBAL in November 2023 to share real-world feed additive experience and practical insight with customers across the poultry industry.
Bill has worked with DPI products for more than a decade across multiple production locations, gaining hands-on experience with saponin-based solutions and their effective use in commercial poultry systems. His background allows him to bridge research, application, and day-to-day production realities.
Outside of poultry nutrition, Bill enjoys woodworking and spoiling his grandchildren.
Dani Wilder, Marketing and Communications Specialist, DPI GLOBAL
Dani is a Marketing Specialist at DPI GLOBAL, where she focuses on crafting engaging content, managing media planning, and promoting the company’s innovative, science-based solutions. Passionate about sustainability and effective communication, Dani enjoys collaborating with the DPI team to share meaningful stories that connect with producers and industry stakeholders.
When Dani isn’t creating marketing strategies, she enjoys reading, judging livestock shows, and raising show pigs with her family.
