The research fields of the institute TTE are subordinate to the scientific field of “nutrition”.

Hence, the further research topic “nutrition physiology” is resulting, displaying an additional core competence of TTE. Nutrition Physiology focuses on the interaction of dietary constituents (e.g. nutrients, additives, undesired substances) and the animal organism along digestion and metabolism. The methodological spectrum of nutrition physiology is largely based on physiological experiments with intact (model) animals applying methodologies of life sciences.

RESEARCH TOPICS:

  • Effect of nutrients (e.g. minerals and trace elements) and feed additives (probiotics, prebiotics, phytobiotics, enzymes, organic acids, rare earth elements), dietary fiber, secondary plant compounds or undesirable substances (e.g. mycotoxins) on the physiology, morphology, microbiota and immunology of the digestive tract and selected organs of farm animals and model animals (rat).

  • Specific focus: influence of polyphenols (e.g. from grapes) in farm animal nutrition on:

                 → nutrient digestibility
                 → intestinal morphology (villus height, crypt depth, number of goblet cells)
                 → oxidative stability in intestine and metabolically active tissue
                           → activity of antioxidant enzymes
                           → total antioxidant capacity
                           → lipid peroxidation
                 → expression of immune-relevant marker genes