Gedik Pilic was founded in 1968 in Usak’s Esme district by our Honorary President Halil Gedik. Today, it ranks among Turkiye’s top 500 companies, employs over 3,000 people, processes around 500,000 chickens daily, and has a monthly capacity of 7,000 tons of value-added products such as doner, delicatessen items, cooked and coated products in its further processing plant. It is a 100% domestically owned pioneer in the poultry sector.

Under the leadership of Chairman Osman Gedik, the company contributes to both the regional and national economy, creating direct and indirect employment. We focus not only on profit but also on social responsibility, continuously investing in R&D and technology to produce healthy, value-added products. In 2020, we became the first and only Turkish company to export poultry meat to China, and also one of the first to export to the EU. Our aim is to keep contributing to the national economy while growing with innovative products in line with sustainability policies that respect both people and nature.

What should be considered for sustainable broiler production?

For sustainable production, efficient and effective use of resources is vital. Our goal is to produce healthy products for healthy generations. We achieve this by using resources effectively and ensuring productive output. The main resources are feed ingredients, chicks, poultry houses, and process management.

From your perspective in animal nutrition, could you elaborate on the feed ingredient aspect?

In animal nutrition, feed ingredients represent the largest input cost. Selecting the right feed materials is essential to achieving target performance in poultry feeding. Considering the genetic potential of the broilers we raise, we prefer ingredients with high digestibility values such as soybean meal (or full-fat soy), corn, and wheat.

Apart from using high-digestibility ingredients, what else can be done to improve digestibility and performance?

Close monitoring of the feed production process is crucial for efficient production. Alongside process control and the use of high-quality raw materials, advances in nutrition science and feed additive technology offer solutions. Enzymes are our most important tool for directly improving digestibility.

What are your criteria for selecting enzymes?

Enzymes work on a lock-and-key principle, acting on specific substrates. In poultry feeds, there are anti-nutritional factors like NSP (non-starch polysaccharides) and phytic phosphorus that hinder digestion. These vary in type and amount depending on the raw materials used. Some NSP structures also trigger unnecessary immune responses, diverting energy from growth to immunity. I select enzymes based on the levels of these anti-nutritional factors in the diet.

Gedik Pilic has been using Hemicell for about seven years to address unnecessary immune responses. Could you share your experiences?

We work with broiler breeds that have high and ever-improving genetic potential. I closely follow new developments and concepts in poultry nutrition. In 2015, Elanco introduced the concept — supported by field data — of reducing unnecessary immune responses to redirect energy toward performance. After trialing the product, we decided to adopt Hemicell company-wide. Over seven years, I have observed that the product delivers the promised energy benefits.

In addition, similar to the results of 44 trials conducted in Europe by Elanco, we saw positive effects on gut integrity issues such as wet content, mucus, cell debris, and gizzard erosion, as well as on welfare indicators like wet litter and footpad quality. These were evident both in field observations and in HTSi scanning analyses conducted by Elanco. We have benefited from both the economic gains and these health improvements.

How did Hemicell provide economic benefits?

By removing β-mannan-related unnecessary immune responses and improving feed digestibility, Hemicell reduced our feed costs. Its positive impact on gut integrity also supported immunity. Ultimately, we achieved performance gains through healthier birds.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of using liquid enzymes?

Liquid feed additives have become increasingly popular in poultry feeds over the past decade. They offer flexibility in dosing through micro-dosing units, either directly in the mixer or post-pellet. For post-pellet enzymes like Hemicell, this method avoids heat-related enzyme activity losses during production.

Which specific problems has Hemicell helped you solve over the seven years?

Feed accounts for 60–70% of production costs in commercial poultry farming. Hemicell has delivered the promised feed cost savings. With its benefits on health parameters, it has contributed positively to poultry health, welfare management, and our overall efficient production approach.