DFG funds research group on phosphorus utilization in laying hens for three more years [02.11.21]
The German Research Foundation (DFG) has approved almost EUR 3 million for the second phase of the P-FOWL research group (FOR 2601). Since 2017, the participating researchers have been looking into how laying hens can optimally process phosphorus from plant sources. At the University of Hohenheim, six departments are involved in this on an inter-faculty basis. They have received funds totaling some EUR 2.3 million, which elevates the project to the status of a heavily funded area of research. The external partner is the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) in Dummerstorf.
"Our research is intended to help animals process the phosphorus contained in plant feed as efficiently as possible so that less has to be sourced from mineral deposits," explained Prof. Dr. Markus Rodehutscord, spokesman for the P-FOWL project. This is because many plant seeds do contain larger amounts of phosphorus. However, they are chemically bound and cannot be readily processed by many animals. For this reason, farmers usually add phosphorus or phosphate from mineral sources to the feed – resources that could be used up in just over 100 years. If more phosphate than necessary is added to the feed, the animals excrete it unused. The result is a higher environmental impact.
In the multi-year project, the P-FOWL research group is therefore investigating all aspects of phosphorus processing by chickens and quails. Results from the first funding phase showed that this capacity was, among other things, determined genetically – a starting point for breeding animals with better phosphorus processing in the future. In addition, when phosphorus is released from plant ingredients in the digestive tract, substances are formed that may have additional and, as yet, poorly understood animal health benefits.
Researchers at the University of Hohenheim want to gain a better understanding of these processes in six interfaculty subprojects. They are supported by the Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN) in Dummerstorf, which is involved in two subprojects in the research group.
"The interdisciplinary composition of the research group constitutes a unique opportunity to combine different studies and obtain as much information as possible from the same animals, to accurately record their genetic background, and to incorporate all the data into an overall evaluation. This makes the results much more meaningful and comparable," Prof. Dr. Rodehutscord is convinced.
Project details
- Title: DFG Research Group "Inositol Phosphates and Myo-Inositol in Poultry: Studies at the Interfaces of Genetics, Physiology, Microbiome and Nutrition" - P FOWL (FOR 2601)
- Funding amount: around EUR 2.3 million (University of Hohenheim), total funding: EUR 2.9 million).
- Funding organization: German Research Foundation (DFG)
- Project duration: 3 years
- Project website
- Press release on the first funding period
Contact
Prof. Dr. Markus Rodehutscord, University of Hohenheim, Department of Animal Nutrition,
T +49 711 459-22420, E markus.rodehutscord@uni-hohenheim.de
Heavyweights of research
The series “Heavyweights of Research" presents outstanding research projects with a financial volume of at least 350,000 euros for research requiring equipment or 150,000 euros for research without specialized equipment.
