Because analytical capabilities are essential to face current animal nutrition challenges of Precision Livestock Feeding, Animine inaugurated its new Laboratory in 2021. Located in the heart of Pau University (France), in the IPREM Research Unit, this joint laboratory provides the company with access to the latest technologies in term of quantification, speciation and localization of trace elements.
Analytical expertise is one of the 4 pillars of Animine scientific activities.
SPECIMAN is a research program hosted in AniLab, France. It was selected and is supported by the French National Research Agency (ANR). It stands for SPECIation for Metals for Animal Nutrition.
Speciation refers to the chemical form of the mineral. This is very important as it is known that bioavailability depends not only on the quantity of metal but also on its chemical form.
What happens to the trace elements when incorporated in the feed and later under the gastric and intestinal environments? Under which form are trace elements excreted?
Answering these questions is critical and will positively affect the current industry practices such as supporting Precision Livestock Feeding but also limiting the impacts of these additives on the environment.
In order to educate animal nutritionists, the research program will focus on 3 main sections:
Speciation techniques at AniLab can be utilized to support animal experiments by quantifying, qualifying and localizing the trace elements all along the chain of biochemical transformation (from feed to animal digestive tracts, and finally feces and soils).
As examples of cutting-edge equipments, the team has access to very advanced instruments such as MCP-ICP-MS (for concentration and tracing of trace elements) but also to Nanoscale Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometer (a.k.a. NanoSIMS imaging) for trace element imaging in biological cells and tissues, or to Synchrotron technology to determine the chemical speciation of the metals in the feed, in the intestinal content, in the cells and tissues.