FeedOmics approach shows: Spray-dried plasma improves gut health in pigs

The study was a collaboration between Wageningen Livestock Research (WLR), Wageningen Bioveterinary Research (WBVR) – both part of Wageningen University & Research, Darling Ingredients (producer of spray-dried plasma (SDP)), the Netherlands Metabolomics Centre and the Department of Analytical Biosciences at Leiden University. “This research is a good example of how science and industry can join forces to develop sustainable and health-promoting feed solutions, and to understand how different ingredients influence animal health,” said Dirkjan Schokker, researcher at Wageningen Bioveterinary Research.

FeedOmics - exploring impact

At the core of this study is FeedOmics – an advanced approach for evaluating the functional properties of protein-containing feed ingredients. As a tool, it combines transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microbiota profiling to explore how feed components interact with animals at a molecular level.

“With FeedOmics, we can measure how each nutritional element interacts with the host at different biological levels,” explains Soumya Kanti Kar, senior scientist at WLR. FeedOmics allows to investigate a range of functional ingredients, such as probiotics, phytogenics, organic acids, and novel protein sources. It enables them to track biological changes, identify biomarkers, reveal mechanistic pathways, and connect dietary components with real physiological outcomes.

Improving gut health

The primary focus of the study was to compare the effects of commonly used soybean meal (SBM) with spray-dried plasma (SDP) on pig health. Over a three-week feeding period, researchers collected and analysed samples from the gut, blood plasma, and serum to assess both local and systemic responses.

The results were compelling. Pigs fed with SDP showed a distinctly different gut microbial composition, including a reduction in Sarcina, a bacterial genus linked to digestive issues. “This microbial shift closely resembled the effects once achieved using pharmaceutical zinc oxide – a compound now banned in the EU due to environmental concerns,” Schokker says.

At the molecular level, SDP increased the expression of genes involved in tight junction formation in the small intestine – structures essential for maintaining gut barrier integrity. Additionally, SDP-fed pigs had elevated levels of key amino acids like threonine, taurine, and glutamate, all of which are known to support immune function and cellular metabolism.

Despite the biological changes mentioned before, systemic immune markers remained stable. This suggests that SDP supports gut health without overstimulating the immune system.

Antioxidant

SDP is derived from the blood plasma of pigs or cattle and is rich in high-quality proteins, amino acids, growth factors, and immunoglobulins. The study revealed that pigs receiving SDP had higher antioxidant activity and gene expression related to immune regulation. Researchers suggest that SDP plays a meaningful role in maintaining gut immune balance and reducing inflammation.

Perspectives of FeedOmics

By applying FeedOmics, researchers are able now to connect nutrition to health outcomes with an unprecedented level of detail. “This integrative approach opens new possibilities for developing effective and sustainable feeds, as it is based on a data-driven understanding of animal biology rather than trial and error”, concludes Kar.