Nutrition and metabolism of monogastric animals

There is currently a drive to transform food production to become more circular and sustainable, where animal feed should include ingredients that humans cannot or do not want to eat. This means that new feed raw materials need to be developed and evaluated. In addition, the link between feed and health is becoming increasingly evident in research studies, where the interaction between feed components, gut microorganisms, and the intestinal mucosa has been shown to have a significant impact on health and well-being, both in humans and animals.

We conduct research and teaching in the field of nutritional physiology and metabolism in monogastric animals. The goal of our research is to develop knowledge about how different types of feedstuffs and feed ingredients are utilized by the animal, as well as how they affect the animals' metabolism and health, with a focus on gut health and the importance of the microbiome.

Key areas:

• Evaluation of new types of feedstuffs for monogastric animals. We study both the animals’ ability to utilize the feed and the effects on gut, health, and metabolism.
• Evaluation of the significance of bioactive components for metabolism and gut health, where specific additives such as various types of probiotics and prebiotics are assessed.
• Mapping of the microbiome and how it is influenced by factors such as feed, management, lifestyle, and infectious diseases.
• Development of model systems for studying gut health and metabolism on a laboratory scale.