Sail into the heavenly mirror

A Report on the Participation of the nuacid NIC Team in the 14th National Conference of the Chinese Society of Animal Nutrition

November 22–24, 2024, an ordinary yet vibrant period.

In the north, after a light snowfall clears, early winter arrives; yet in the south, green trees sway gently, and beautiful kapok flowers bloom in profusion, mingling with the clouds and rosy skies to showcase Guangzhou’s romantic charm and vibrant spirit. Researchers at the Northern Innovative Center (NIC), like their colleagues across China’s nutrition community, eagerly anticipate the quadrennial academic highlight—the 12th National Conference of the Animal Nutrition Branch of the Chinese Society of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, showcasing the country’s most advanced innovations in animal nutrition and feed technology.

This conference is themed “Precision, Efficiency, Green Practices, and Innovation,” focusing on “improving quality and efficiency while expanding sources of feed ingredients.” With the goals of reducing protein and soybean meal content, diversifying feed formulations, and enhancing conversion rates, it provides both a comprehensive overview of China’s advances in animal nutrition and feed science over the past four years and a strategic roadmap for the next decade, laying a solid foundation for China to lead the world in feed technology within ten years.

As is well known, precision animal nutrition is one of the most critical components of a healthy livestock production system; advances in this field often drive rapid progress across the industry and are therefore highly regarded by academia, industry, and research institutions. At this Guangzhou symposium, animal nutrition experts from Chinese universities, research institutes, and corporate R&D centers gathered in full force. All five academicians from the five major academic disciplines, five successive presidents, and 1,800 scientists attended, making it truly the largest and most prestigious event held under the umbrella of the Chinese Society of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine in recent years. A momentous occasion.

During the conference, academicians and expert scholars presented their research findings, covering various fields including swine nutrition, poultry nutrition, ruminant nutrition, feed nutrition/feed safety and biotechnology, and aquatic/specialty animal nutrition. Jointly exploring the latest research advances and future trends in animal nutrition, this effort has contributed thousands of Chinese innovations and animal nutrition solutions to foster new-quality productivity and drive growth in both the quantity and quality of high‑quality animal protein worldwide.

In addition to more than 190 oral presentations by scientists, over 1,000 research advances are presented for in-depth consideration. To comprehensively and promptly reflect the research progress and trends in China’s animal nutrition and feed science over the past four years, and to fully showcase the discipline’s achievements and academic standards, the conference solicited, edited, and included 1,137 papers from provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions nationwide. These were distributed as follows: swine nutrition, 286 papers; poultry nutrition, 308 papers; ruminant nutrition, 239 papers; feed nutrition, 135 papers; feed biotechnology, 76 papers; aquatic animal nutrition, 28 papers; pet nutrition, 15 papers; special economic animal nutrition, 19 papers; and other topics, 31 papers. This collection of papers covers all aspects of animal nutrition and feed science research in China, providing a comprehensive overview of the latest research directions and advancements in the field.

Among the numerous research findings, studies on acidifiers are particularly noteworthy. Approximately 139 papers—accounting for 8.18% of the total—are devoted to this field, underscoring the close link between scientific research and industry. Of these, about 94 focus on animal gastrointestinal health (including growth performance, digestion and antibacterial effects, and gut microbiota regulation), while roughly 18 specifically examine the antioxidant effects of acidifiers in animals. Additional studies cover areas such as efficacy evaluation of acids, investigations into signaling pathways and mechanisms, reduction of viral loads, reproductive performance, meat quality, feed processing, and market research, totaling around 27 papers. These 139 publications on acids primarily originate from research institutions nationwide; contributions from enterprises should also be recognized, with DSM Animal Nutrition R&D (China) Co., Ltd. having published three papers in this area. Meanwhile, the Acid Research Innovation Center (NIC) of nuacid Company has emerged as a dark horse in the field of acid research with 16 published papers, making a striking debut and initially demonstrating its strong scientific capabilities in acid formulation research within both domestic and international academic circles.

Thus, the substantial body of literature on acids clearly demonstrates their prominence and significance in current feed nutrition research and industrial applications within the context of the ban on antibiotic growth promoters. Acidifiers play a crucial role in enhancing feed quality and improving raw material utilization; particularly in diversified feed formulations with reduced protein and soybean meal levels, they can effectively increase feed conversion ratios and help achieve efficient livestock production. Meanwhile, research on acidifiers is expanding beyond simple digestive inhibition and antimicrobial functions to encompass additional capabilities such as antioxidant and antiviral effects. As the industry pursues the future goals of “improving quality and efficiency while increasing inputs and outputs,” it is undeniable that acids will assume an even more pivotal role, making this development highly anticipated. Leading companies in the acidifier sector have an inescapable responsibility to assume a more prominent position in future research and development, spearheading innovation and application in this field.

Promotes digestion and absorption: During the piglet stage, as the primary food source shifts from sow’s milk to feed around weaning, the stomach is not yet fully developed. Coupled with changes in the digestive tract’s physiological structure and physicochemical environment, nutritional diarrhea is highly likely to occur. From an animal physiology and biochemistry perspective, NIC investigates the fundamental reasons why gastric acid promotes digestion in the piglet gastrointestinal tract. “The Effects of Different Types of Digestive Acids on Growth Performance, Gastrointestinal pH, and Gastrointestinal Development in Piglets” ; NIC believes that a low dietary acid-binding capacity (ABC) regimen promotes the digestion of protein-based feeds and enhances endogenous protease activity, and the ABC value of diets may gradually become a mandatory metric in company formulations. We are also monitoring changes in the ABC of creep and nursery feeds across both northern and southern markets. “Investigation and Study on the pH and Acid-binding Capacity of Typical Starter Feed for Piglets in China” Furthermore, since 2022, we have annually updated and released a national survey database on common feed ingredients and the acid-binding capacity of feed premixes. Each year, we also compile the latest R&D findings into a book titled “Insights into the Acidic Future.” In addition, we leverage the properties of liquid acids to investigate their effects on the gelatinization of unconventional raw materials. “The Effects of Liquid Organic Acids on the Processing Quality of Non-Conventional Feedstuffs and on Pig Growth Performance” . With acid as the backbone, the feed reduces dietary acid-binding capacity and enhances digestive enzyme activity, thereby lowering the incidence of nutritional diarrhea in piglets.

Intestinal targets inhibit pathogenic bacteria: The regulation of intestinal nutrition remains a hot topic in both academia and the feed industry. Do intestinal acid molecules truly appear in the hindgut as pathogenic bacteria become increasingly prevalent? To address this, NIC investigated A Comparative Study on the In Vitro Antibacterial Activity of Different Types of Digestive Acids Against Four Harmful Bacteria and Four Beneficial Bacteria , and also in collaboration with Dr. Li Rui from the academician Yin’s team at the Subtropical Research Institute “Evaluation of the Sustained-Release Effect of Coated Benzoic Acid in Piglet Intestines Using Multi-Catheterization Techniques” Verified Study on the Controlled-Release Effects of Benzoic Acid in Different Dosage Forms In Vitro and In Vivo and Effects of Different Dosage Forms of Benzoic Acid on Growth Performance, Serum Biochemical Indices, and Intestinal Microbiota Abundance in Weaned Piglets The characteristics of acid molecules reveal effective pathways for targeting pathogenic bacteria, thereby protecting host health; this also defines the application direction of acid molecules under precision nutrition conditions.

Antioxidant effect: Lewis acids play a crucial role in chemical reactions; their unique electron‑accepting ability enables them to catalyze a wide range of processes, including redox reactions. Moreover, they exhibit strong radical‑scavenging activity, which can help mitigate oxidative stress‑induced damage to the organism. In recent years, as research on antioxidants has deepened, the potential of Lewis acids in antioxidant applications has increasingly attracted attention. To this end, NIC has prepared “Daidzein and Ampelopsin Regulate the Nrf2–Keap1 Signaling Pathway to Suppress TBHP-Induced Oxidative Damage in Layer Ovarian Granulosa Cells” and “Antioxidant Effects of a Combination of Daidzein and Ampelopsin on Layer Ovarian Granulosa Cells and Their Impact on Production Performance in Late-Laying Hens” ; Meanwhile, amid fluctuating pork prices and soaring feed costs, NIC has been exploring unconventional feed ingredients as substitutes. “The Effects of Adding Soy Isoflavones to Low-Protein Oilseed Meal Diets on Growth Performance, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality in Growing-Finishing Pigs” Effects on the quality of fresh pork. In many cases, NIC has employed techniques such as molecular docking to screen for suitable antioxidants and found that the most effective scavenging of free radicals stems from the ability to activate antioxidant enzymes, rather than from antioxidant compounds alone; thus, modulating protein signaling pathways represents a crucial approach.

Antiviral activity: The selected specific Lewis acid molecules recognize and bind to the viral envelope, disrupting the viral structure and preventing attachment to host cells. Even if a small number of viruses enter the cell, the Lewis acid molecules can competitively bind to active viral electrons—targeting topoisomerase II, a key enzyme in viral replication—thereby interfering with viral genome replication and protein synthesis. This prevents proper assembly, inhibiting the formation of intact virions that could be released outside the cell. To validate this mechanism, nuacid Company collaborated closely with the College of Veterinary Medicine at Sichuan Agricultural University, conducting extensive in vitro and in vivo experiments and achieving groundbreaking results. “Study on the In Vivo Anti-PRV Activity of a Mixture of Medium-Chain Fatty Acids and Their Monoglycerides,” “Study on the In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-SVV Activity of Lauryl Monoglyceride,” “Effect of Lauryl Monoglyceride (GML) on Clinical Symptoms and Tissue Viral Load in PEDV-Infected Piglets,” “Study on the In Vitro and In Vivo Anti-PRRSV Activity of Caprylic Monoglyceride” . The aim is to further elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which antiviral acid formulations reduce viral load across three dimensions: molecular, cellular, and animal.

Exploration of Other Functions: Furthermore, in waterfowl, NIC comparative screening examines the functional differences between enzymes and acids. “A Comparative Study on the Effects of Compound Enzymes, Acidifiers, and Soy Isoflavones on Growth Performance and Intestinal Development in Meat Ducks.” The exploration of the functions of novel acidifying agents still represents an untapped frontier with great potential, and it will undoubtedly provide a platform for pioneering innovation.

The National Nutrition Academic Exchange Conference concluded successfully. The nuacid NIC team gained valuable insights into the professionalism, dedication, spirit of inquiry, and innovation of leading scholars, while also showcasing its research achievements in acid formulation over the past four years, earning recognition and guidance from numerous industry experts and professors. Looking ahead, we are more confident than ever as we continue to advance the research, development, and application of acid formulations. Today and in the future, nuacid will remain committed to antibiotic-free feed, with acid as its core, and dedicate itself to developing new acid-based formulations that enhance quality and efficiency while increasing yields and feed intake.

We are advancing along the right path. Acids can influence animal metabolism, immunity, and oxidative stress, thereby regulating growth, reproduction, and product quality. Scientific breakthroughs have been achieved in modulating both internal and external microbial communities, reducing viral loads, and balancing free radicals, thus enabling healthy livestock farming and sustaining vibrant life. The presentation of numerous achievements is the result of recent years’ application of acid–base electron theory to guide research on animal health, marking a shift in the concept of acids from hydrogen-ion donors to electron acceptors and greatly expanding the scope and functions of acids. This represents a quintessential example of theoretical breakthroughs driving technological innovation, signaling that innovative acid research is flourishing and gaining momentum, poised to lead future trends in the development of acid-based formulations.

Improving quality and efficiency, while expanding sources and increasing inputs, will be the focus of feed nutrition over the next decade. of A cutting-edge goal. On the broader path of healthy aquaculture led by health foods, the Acid Innovation Center uses acidity to drive innovation and application, setting sail toward boundless horizons!

Written by: Wen Wei

Review: Hu Youjun