Cornell researchers say a waste product from the wine industry could help poultry farms reduce reliance on antibiotics while improving chicken growth and gut health.
A new Cornell study published this month found that grape pomace — the leftover skins, seeds, stems and pulp produced during wine and juice making — performed nearly as well as a commonly used antibiotic growth promoter when added to broiler chicken feed.
Researchers tested grape pomace against zinc bacitracin, an antibiotic widely used in poultry production, while feeding chickens a diet designed to trigger low-grade intestinal inflammation commonly seen in commercial flocks.
According to the study, adding grape pomace at just 0.5% of the birds’ diet improved weight gain by nearly 80% compared to chickens receiving no supplement. Researchers also found improvements in feed efficiency and gut health that closely matched the antibiotic-fed group.
“We’ve been studying this as a functional food ingredient for both humans and animals, and this is a defining moment,” said Elad Tako, associate professor in Cornell’s Department of Food Science and the study’s corresponding author. “We were able to mitigate low-grade inflammation, which is status quo in the poultry industry.”
The research comes as poultry producers worldwide face mounting pressure to reduce antibiotic use because of concerns over antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotic growth promoters are already banned in the European Union, China and Brazil, though no full U.S. ban currently exists.
Researchers also tested fermented versions of grape pomace processed using bacteria and yeast commonly used in yogurt, cheese and bread production. The fermented versions performed similarly to raw pomace and, in some cases, improved nutrient absorption inside the birds’ intestines.
The study found that grape pomace altered the chickens’ gut microbiome in ways researchers considered beneficial, reducing bacteria associated with intestinal disease while increasing production of butyrate, a fatty acid linked to gut health and inflammation control.
Beyond potential agricultural benefits, researchers said the findings could help create new uses for millions of tons of grape waste generated globally each year, much of which is currently discarded or composted.
“What needs to happen next is demonstrating that it works in real-world conditions with a much bigger number of birds,” Tako said.
Researchers said additional large-scale testing with poultry producers would be needed before widespread adoption could occur.
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