Adisseo combined science and practice in ruminant nutrition at the IMEA SmartSchool 2025 seminar held in Istanbul, Turkey on October 14–15. Bringing together nearly 100 industry representatives and leading experts from Africa and the Middle East, the event focused particularly on the strategic role of amino acids in ruminant nutrition.
Adisseo, one of the world’s leading feed additive specialists dedicated to research and innovation, hosted the IMEA SmartSchool seminar in Istanbul, Turkey on October 14–15, 2025. The event brought together approximately 100 ruminant industry representatives from Africa and the Middle East, along with leading global experts in animal nutrition. Held under the theme “Health for Lifetime Performance”, the event focused particularly on the strategic role of amino acids in ruminant nutrition.
The seminar began with a brief welcome speech by Özgür Gültekin, Director of Marketing and Business Development, MEA at Adisseo, and discussed topics such as amino acid–balanced nutrition, protected methionine applications, the effect of nutrition on reproductive performance, and feeding strategies against heat stress. Attendees listened to the latest scientific data from leading academics and Adisseo experts.
PROF. CARDOSO: “NUTRITION IS THE KEY TO PROFITABILITY AS MUCH AS MILK PRODUCTION”
Professor Dr. Phil Cardoso from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the US was one of the event’s featured speakers. He emphasized that proper nutritional management in dairy cattle is decisive not only for milk yield but also for herd fertility and overall profitability.
Cardoso pointed out the importance of an individualized nutritional approach, stating, “The individual needs of each cow must be taken into account; cows in the dry period require as much attention as those in lactation.”
He also shared examples from studies showing that cows fed with rumen-protected methionine demonstrated higher growth performance. According to Cardoso, methionine and lysine are among the most critical amino acids for milk yield, reproductive success, and combating inflammation.
Professor Cardoso also answered the question, “Should farmers adapt their environment to cows, or should cows adapt to the environment?” with the following response: “Both approaches are possible, but what’s important is consistency. Whichever management strategy you choose, consistency is the key to success.”
Cardoso also detailed the physiological factors affecting pregnancy success in dairy cows, emphasizing the importance of preventing postpartum body condition loss, maintaining uterine health, inseminating at the right time, and supporting early embryo development. According to the professor, all of these processes are directly related to nutritional management, and establishing the right balance of methionine and lysine can increase pregnancy rates by supporting both progesterone production and embryo viability.
DR. SLOAN: “FROM THE DAYS WHEN THE MARKET WAS NOT READY FOR METHIONINE TO TODAY”
Adisseo Global Ruminant AA and Protected Nutrients Business Director, Dr. Brian Sloan, celebrating his 38th year with the company in 2025, assessed the transformation of the ruminant nutrition sector over the last thirty years. Sloan noted that in the 1990s, the market was not yet ready for commercial applications of methionine, but today, protected amino acid solutions are central to modern dairy cattle nutrition strategies.
Sloan emphasized that heat treatment can reduce the bioavailability of lysine in protein sources, requiring careful management of amino acid balance in rations. In his presentation, he also highlighted Adisseo’s SmartLine product family—Smartamine and MetaSmart—stating that these solutions play a critical role in modern farms in terms of increasing protein efficiency and reducing nitrogen emissions.
Dr. Sloan also stressed that amino acid-based formulation is no longer an “option” but a necessity for performance, sustainability, and efficiency. He added that feeding models and cow genotypes will change during the 2020–2030 period, making it inevitable to increase nutrient density in rations.
SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE TRANSFORMED INTO APPLICATION
On the first day of the seminar, Adisseo Regional Technical Manager Middle East & Africa Region Dr. Mohammed Hassan and Adisseo Global Ruminant Strategic Marketing Manager Dr. Fernanda Lopes gave presentations titled “Health Lifetime Performance & MilkSmart” Participants exchanged information on health, nutritional management, and productivity to sustain lifelong performance in dairy cattle.
During the second day’s sessions, Adisseo Global Ruminant AA Formulation Manager Mike Shearing shared technical information on ruminant nutritional strategies with participants in his presentation titled “Formulation Management.”
Professor Dr. Ahmet Kasım Han, Advisor to the Rector and Executive Board Member at Istanbul Aydın University, provided participants with a comprehensive perspective on the importance of financial literacy in the business world in his presentation titled “Finance for Non-Finance Professionals.”
IMEA SmartSchool attracted attention not only with presentations but also with case studies, group discussions, and interactive technical sessions. Attendees had the opportunity to examine the effects of amino acid optimization in ruminant nutrition on performance, environmental sustainability, and economic efficiency from various angles.
The event concluded by bringing science-based nutrition approaches to industry professionals, reflecting Adisseo’s vision of knowledge sharing.
