dsm-firmenich introduces microbiome metabolism modulator Symphiome™ to improve poultry health and sustainability

Royal dsm-firmenich, a global purpose-led science-based company, announces the introduction of Symphiome™, a first-of-its-kind precision biotic designed to precisely orchestrate microbiome metabolism in poultry flocks in order to support good gut health, growth, welfare and sustainability.

Enhancing profitability by improving the health and welfare needs of a flock is challenging for poultry producers. To meet this challenge, dsm-firmenich developed Symphiome™, a first-of-its-kind precision biotic that orchestrates microbiome metabolism and optimizes the bird’s resilience to enteric stress, aids in nutrient utilization, improves welfare, and reduces emissions.

Research has revealed that while gut microbiota composition varies dramatically even between equally healthy, productive birds raised in the same house, the gut microbiome metabolism is rather consistent between those raised on different farms, on different diets and under different management programs.

By looking at the gut microbiome as a whole and focusing on desirable metabolic pathways, Symphiome™ directs the metabolic function of the microbiome to bring overall harmony to the gut. Symphiome™ is the first commercial launch of a precision biotic—a new class of feed ingredients that precisely modulate specific metabolic pathways in the microbiome to benefit the bird and its environment.

A peer-reviewed study of Symphiome™ (Jacquier et al., 2022) showed improved litter score, ammonia output and gait score. As a consequence of improved welfare and gas emission indicators, Symphiome™ improved body weight gain (BWG) by 44g on day 35 and feed conversion ratio (FCR) by 11.4 points. In the second study, BWG was improved by 112 g, and FCR by 4.7 points. Symphiome™ strengthens dsm-firmenich’s strategic sustainability initiative, We Make It Possible, by focusing on improving farm animals' lifetime performance as well as further advancing our DSM Food System Commitments.

Luis Valenzuela, Product Manager at dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health said “Harnessing microbiome functionality to benefit the host animal is one of the largest untapped scientific opportunities in 50 years. We’re excited to leverage the proven benefits of Symphiome™ to support our poultry meat and egg customers in reaching their productivity, health, welfare and sustainability goals.”

Christie Chavis, Vice President Performance Solutions + Biomin® at dsm-firmenich Animal Nutrition and Health commented "Symphiome™ illustrates the way we have expanded our animal nutrition research to focus on how the microbiome behaves and influences animal health. We learn more every day about host-microbiome interactions that help to identify health benefits for the animal, productivity gains for producers and environmental gains for the planet. Symphiome™ is the first product in our new category of microbe metabolic modulators from our innovation team.”

SymphiomeTM can be safely pelleted and withstand temperatures above 90°C.