Healthy, antibiotic-free chicken raised: first results from Italian 'In Ovo' trial

Its first application in Campania under the guidance of Professor Giacomo Rossi, professor of general pathology, physiopathology and veterinary immunopathology at the University of Camerino, and Professor Mauro Minelli, immunologist and professor of human nutrition at Lum

At the Osaka Expo , the Campania Region highlighted not only its agri-food excellence, but also a scientific experiment destined to revolutionize the global poultry sector. During the Campania Food for Health conference, promoted by the Department of Agriculture, the results of an experimental protocol with a high health impact were previewed, opening a new frontier for poultry farming, in line with the principles of the 'One Health' paradigm. This innovative project, ' In Ovo' , allows chicks to be naturally immunized before birth, with the prospect of completely eliminating the use of antibiotics and/or pesticides, which often compromise the growth of the birds before slaughter. The project was born from the collaboration with the University of Camerino and saw its first experimental application in Campania under the guidance of Professor Giacomo Rossi , lecturer in general pathology, physiopathology and veterinary immunopathology at the University of Camerino, and Professor Mauro Minelli , immunologist and lecturer in human nutrition at Lum, thanks to the vision and commitment of Councillor Nicola Caputo .

The treatment is based on the inoculation of incubating eggs with a patented blend of postbiotics —freeze-dried intestinal extracts from healthy adult chickens—and a selection of probiotics, live microorganisms beneficial for intestinal health. This administration is contextualized to the Marek's disease vaccination protocol. The trial was conducted in dedicated experimental facilities in Campania on 4,000 chickens, equally divided between the control and treatment groups .

Preliminary results . The data proved to be in line with expectations, at least with regard to animal welfare, considering that the treated chickens showed, within 42 days of inoculating the mixture, a higher body weight (2,369 grams versus 1,944 grams in the control group) and a better ratio between feed consumed and meat produced. Ongoing observations will confirm a healthier composition of the intestinal microbiota in the treated birds and, therefore, their greater resistance to the most common avian diseases, along with lower mortality during breeding. All this without resorting to any pharmacological treatment.

"We have demonstrated that it is possible to raise healthy chickens, protected from birth thanks to natural immunization," explained Mauro Minelli, scientific coordinator of the project, along with his colleague Rossi. "The data confirm a paradigm shift: healthier animals, improved livestock performance, and a complete absence of drug residues in the meat. Reducing antibiotic use also means making a concrete contribution to the fight against antibiotic resistance, one of the most pressing issues in public health. Furthermore, this approach can also become an effective preventative measure against a particularly critical avian disease, H9N2, which is also critical for humans. The choice of Osaka as the international stage for this presentation was no coincidence: it is here that the future of food is being designed, and it is here that we wanted to formalize this innovation."

The panel's closing remarks were delivered by the Campania Region's Councilor for Agriculture, Nicola Caputo , who stated: "This trial represents a significant evolution in the vision of future livestock farming: a model based on sustainable, non-pharmacological practices, fully consistent with the One Health approach that connects animal, human, and environmental health. As the Campania Region, we look with attention and interest at projects of this kind, capable of generating a tangible impact in terms of animal welfare, food safety, and scientific innovation. The fact that this trial was conducted in Campania confirms the value of our region as a fertile context for cutting-edge research and technology transfer. It is from initiatives like this that a new livestock farming model can emerge—one that is more responsible, more advanced, and closer to the citizenry."