Science
Mode of Action
OceanFeed™ works naturally with the animal's biology to support efficiency, stability, and resilience across different levels:
Cellular level:
- Marine bioactives such as sulfated polysaccharides (ulvan, fucoidan) and polyphenols (phlorotannins) help regulate oxidative balance and immune signalling (e.g., NF-κB, Nrf2/Keap1).
- These compounds support epithelial integrity and antioxidant defence, maintaining cell protection and homeostasis.
Tissue level:
- Seaweed-derived prebiotic fibres promote beneficial gut bacteria and stimulate the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) like butyrate and propionate.
- SCFAs strengthen intestinal villi and tight junctions proteins (claudin, occludin, ZO-1), enhancing nutrient absorption and immune regulation.
Whole-animal level:
- The combined cellular and gut effects contribute to balanced digestion, improved nutrient utilisation, and resilience under production challenges.
- OceanFeed™ supports natural physiological processes that underpin consistent animal performance.
Gut Health & Immunity
The gut is the body's largest immune organ — home to up to 70 % of immune cells. OceanFeed™ supports this vital system through natural seaweed bioactives that enhance microbial balance, strengthen the gut barrier, and modulate immune responses.
Microbial balance:
- Prebiotic fibres from green and red seaweeds feed beneficial bacteria (Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium), promoting SCFAs production.
- SCFAs help stabilise intestinal pH, limit harmful microbes, and strengthen barrier integrity.
Barrier protection & "Leaky Gut" prevention:
- When barrier integrity is compromised ("leaky gut"), endotoxins (e.g., LPS) can pass into circulation, triggering inflammation and reducing nutrient efficiency.
- Seaweed polysaccharides help maintain epithelial tight junctions for consistent nutrient absorption.
Immune modulation:
- Bioactives such as fucoidans and phlorotannins support balanced cytokine activity (e.g., lowering TNF-α and IL-6) and boosting antioxidant enzyme activity.
By supporting immune balance and digestive stability, OceanFeed™ helps maintain performance consistency during stress events, improving nutrient utilisation and offering a strong foundation for sustainable, health-focused feed programs.
Antioxidant & Anti-inflammatory Properties
Seaweeds are naturally rich in compounds that help protect animal cells and support balanced physiology.
Natural antioxidant power:
- Phlorotannins — polyphenols unique to brown seaweeds — help neutralise free radicals and moderate inflammatory signals such as TNF-α and IL-6.
- These compounds also stimulate natural defence enzymes like superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, supporting cellular resilience.
Comprehensive protection:
- Fucoidans and agarans (sulfated polysaccharides) work alongside carotenoids like fucoxanthin and astaxanthin to stabilise cell membranes and enhance communication between epithelial and immune cells.
- Together, they promote tissue integrity and recovery from metabolic or environmental stress.
Systemic benefits:
- By moderating oxidative and inflammatory stress, OceanFeed™ helps animals allocate energy more efficiently — supporting steady performance and health rather than repair processes.
- Some seaweed polysaccharides also exhibit antimicrobial and anti-biofilm activity, helping maintain intestinal stability and reduce pathogen pressure.
Feed Efficiency & Performance
Feed is the single biggest cost in animal production — often 70-90 % of total expenses. Improving how effectively animals use that feed is key to performance and profitability.
Optimised nutrient utilisation:
- OceanFeed™ helps maintain intestinal integrity and microbiome stability, supporting efficient digestion and nutrient absorption.
- Its bioactive polysaccharides, antioxidants, and prebiotic fibres contribute to balanced metabolism and lower energy loss through inflammation or stress.
Natural efficiency, consistent results:
- Instead of acting as a stimulant, OceanFeed™ works as a nutritional optimiser — supporting animals to extract more value from existing feed.
- This translates into steadier performance, reduced feed waste, and lower cost per unit of production.
By improving feed conversion naturally, OceanFeed™ supports precision nutrition goals — enhancing economic efficiency and sustainability across livestock, aquaculture, equine, and pet nutrition systems.
Economic Impact
Profitability in animal production relies on maximising biological performance while optimising resource use.
Resource efficiency & performance stability:
- OceanFeed™ supports digestive balance and nutrient absorption, helping animals convert feed more effectively and maintain steady performance under production stress.
- A balanced gut environment reduces nutrient waste and variability between cycles, contributing to predictable results across livestock, aquaculture, equine, and companion animals.
Long-term value creation:
- By reducing reliance on finite resources such as arable land, freshwater, and synthetic additives, OceanFeed™ strengthens both economic and environmental resilience.
- Its renewable, whole-seaweed composition supports sustainable feed utilisation while lowering costs and environmental footprint.
- The result is more sustainable feed utilisation, improved operational stability, and greater long-term value creation throughout the supply chain — from feed formulation to animal production and pet nutrition.
