Dietary biochar enhances growth performance and feed efficiency in growing pigs evidence from integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses.

Introduction: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of biochar as a feed supplement for growing pigs. Biochar, a carbon-rich material produced by pyrolysis of biomass under low- or no-oxygen conditions, is widely used in agriculture due to its porous structure and high adsorption capacity. Recently, it has gained attention as a potential feed additive for livestock because of its ability to bind toxins and gut microbiota modulation. Although several farm trials have reported improved animal productivity with biochar supplementation, the underlying biological function remains largely unclear. Methods: To identify candidate pathways associated with biochar supplementation, we performed transcriptomic (RNA-Seq) and proteomic (LC-MS) analyses on blood samples collected from pigs in 3% biochar-supplemented group and control group. Results: In this study, supplementing the basal diet with 3% biochar significantly reduced mortality ( Discussion: These findings indicate that dietary biochar supplementation improves the health and performance of growing pigs, at least in part, by modulating immune-related pathways. The combined transcriptomic and proteomic results provide new molecular insights into how biochar exerts its beneficial effects as a feed additive.