European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition (ESPN) 

New Insights Into Layer Nutrition from Dr. Christian Lückstädt, Technical Director, ADDCON GmbH

From June 23–26, the European Symposium on Poultry Nutrition (ESPN) took place in Maastricht, The Netherlands – and ADDCON was proud to be part of it. Representing our team was Dr. Christian Lückstädt, Technical Director at ADDCON, who contributed with a new scientific poster presentation focusing on the use of sodium diformate in laying hens.

For more than a decade, sodium diformate (Formi NDF) has been used to support gut health and nutrient absorption in broilers. But what about layers? Until recently, the data here was more limited. Dr. Lückstädt’s work closes that gap.

His analysis is based on the results of 15 independent trials across commercial layer operations worldwide – altogether involving nearly 200,000 hens. The findings are clear: Formi NDF improves laying performance significantly. The meta-analysis showed a 4.0% increase in hen-day production on average, with older hens (≥55 weeks) benefiting the most: a remarkable 6.6% improvement.

This matters. As layers age, productivity naturally declines. Supporting older birds nutritionally is critical – both from an animal welfare and economic standpoint. And Formi NDF seems to be a reliable way to do just that.

We’re happy to have contributed to this year’s ESPN with real-world data that can help producers make better, more informed decisions. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the poster session – and to the ESPN organizers for another great event.

📄 You can download the full poster here: