At VIV Europe 2026, aviNews spoke with Bob van der Rijt from Ocean Harvest Technology about the potential of seaweed-based nutrition in poultry production. In this interview, he explains how OceanFeed™ combines brown, green and red seaweeds to support gut health, nutrient absorption, resilience and more consistent performance in both broilers and layers.

Seaweed-based nutrition for a more resilient poultry production

Poultry producers are increasingly looking for nutritional strategies that can support animal performance while helping birds cope with the daily challenges of modern production. Gut health, nutrient absorption and immune resilience are central to this objective, especially in systems where consistency, feed efficiency and animal welfare are key priorities.

In this conversation, Ocean Harvest Technology highlights the role of marine bioactives in poultry nutrition and explains why a multi-seaweed approach can offer broader biological support than a single-source ingredient. OceanFeed™ is based on a carefully selected blend of brown, green and red seaweeds, each contributing a different profile of naturally occurring compounds.

This diversity is important because poultry performance is not determined by one single factor. The gastrointestinal tract, microbiome, immune system and nutrient utilisation all interact with each other. By supporting several biological pathways at the same time, OceanFeed™ aims to help birds maintain better balance, particularly during periods of stress or production pressure.

A broader marine bioactive strategy

One of the main ideas discussed in the interview is the value of biological diversity. Different seaweeds contain different bioactive compounds, which may interact with the animal in complementary ways. This makes OceanFeed™ a nutritional solution designed to support multiple areas of poultry performance rather than focusing on one isolated function.

For broilers, this approach is closely linked to growth, feed conversion and resilience during fast production cycles. For layers, it can contribute to maintaining consistency, supporting gut function and helping birds perform over longer production periods.

As poultry nutrition continues to evolve, ingredients that combine natural origin, functional benefits and scientific development are becoming increasingly relevant. OceanFeed™ Poultry responds to this need by offering a marine-based solution focused on gut health, nutrient utilisation and animal performance.