By Ayo Onikoyi

As the world seeks innovative and sustainable solutions in livestock nutrition, Oluwaseun Odunfa, a second-year PhD student in the Animal and Dairy Science program at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA is spearheading research that could transform how cattle are fed and managed globally. His work focuses on optimizing ruminant nutrition through metabolic insights, improving how animals utilize feed and respond to environmental stressors.

“The bigger picture is about feeding a growing global population while protecting our animals and ecosystems,” Odunfa said. “If we are serious about that goal, then research like this isn’t optional, it is urgent.”

Central to Oluwaseun’s research is the use of feed additives, specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation products (SCFPs); a class of postbiotics used to enhance animal health and feed utilization.

As first author on a 2024 Journal of Animal Science publication titled “Effects of a liquid and dry Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product feeding program on ruminal fermentation, total tract digestibility, and plasma metabolome of Holstein steers receiving a grain-based diet” Oluwaseun introduced a novel SCFP feeding strategy involving an initial liquid infusion followed by daily dry supplementation in Holstein steers.

This approach enhanced ruminal fermentation, increasing total volatile fatty acids and reducing ruminal ammonia nitrogen levels, indicating improved nitrogen retention and microbial activity. The study also revealed enrichment in key plasma metabolic pathways, including the citric acid cycle, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and retinol metabolism, further highlighting SCFP’s potential to modulate systemic metabolism and enhance feed efficiency.

“Our research provides a nuanced understanding of how these fermentation products function in the body of the animal, not just in terms of digestibility but also in how they affect health at the molecular level,” Odunfa said.

In a follow-up 2025 paper published in Translational Animal Science journal titled “Effects of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product on ruminal fermentation, total tract digestibility, blood proinflammatory cytokines, and plasma metabolome of Holstein steers fed a high-grain diet” where Oluwaseun served as a co-author, the research team uncovered that SCFP supplementation in Holstein steers improved ruminal pH, offering a nutritional countermeasure to subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA). The study also found that SCFPs significantly enriched plasma pathways involved in amino acid metabolism, particularly lysine degradation and purine metabolism; processes essential for muscle development and immune function.

“These aren’t just feed additives, they are functional ingredients,” Odunfa emphasized. “We are seeing that SCFP support the cow’s internal environment in ways that improve performance, especially under modern intensive feeding systems.”

“These studies have advanced our understanding of how postbiotics interact with ruminant physiology,” Oluwaseun added. “We are no longer just feeding cattle; we are strategically modulating their biology to enhance productivity and promote health in more sustainable ways.”

Oluwaseun’s research journey began at the Federal University of Agriculture in Abeokuta, Nigeria, where he earned both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Agriculture, specializing in Ruminant Production. He completed his second master’s degree in environmental science with a specialization in Livestock Nutrition from Kentucky State University, USA in 2024, where he was honored as the Outstanding Master of Environmental Studies Student in 2023 for his academic excellence and research contributions.

Oluwaseun has presented his research at several prominent scientific conferences, including the Kentucky Academy of Science (KAS) meetings in 2022 and 2023, the American Society of Animal Science (ASAS) conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 2023, and the American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) meeting in Florida in 2024. His work has received both national and international recognition, with abstracts of his studies published in the Journal of Animal Science and Journal of Dairy Science, further affirming their scientific relevance and impact.

With a rare blend of technical rigor, cross-cultural experience, and a passion for problem-solving, Oluwaseun Odunfa is quickly becoming a name to watch in the field of Animal and Dairy Science and a future leader in sustainable livestock systems.