Kemin described the Indian subcontinent as particularly challenging, because of the climate extremes of tropical in the south to alpine in the northern Himalayas, so farmers there need special strategies to increase health and performance of their birds.

Birds are more susceptible to heat stress because they lack sweat glands that are beneficial in regulating body temperature.

“Recent layer research indicates mortality rate as high as 50 per cent can be attributed to necrotic enteritis during the summer season due to poor water quality and lack of ingredient management.

"Visible heat stress symptoms include a reduction in feed intake, a thin egg shell formation and a reduction in production,” said Dr Abhishek Pandey, Product Manager of Animal Nutrition & Health in India.

“Furthermore, some of the more telling yet invisible signs include a release of stress hormones, a sharp increase in blood glucose level, and a rise in pH. Because these signs are undetectable, reactive treatment is often too late,” Pandey adds.

Dr Pandey further advised a proactive management plan, including feed additives that can help stimulate insulin release, which improves blood glucose utilisation and reduces synthesis and secretion of corticosteroids.

The Kemin team of researchers and technical specialists also shared trial data that supports a healthy return on investment per ton of feed for their product CHROMflex C, which contains vitamin C and chromium supplements.