NMR Metabolomics pari passu with Proteomics: Two Relevant Tools for Animal Sciences Combined

Metabolomics is a field of growing importance in farm animal science and agricultural research. It may be based on either mass spectrometry or NMR (nucleic magnetic resonance) spectroscopy and is particularly advantageous for the quantification and identification of metabolites of various sizes that can provide clues on how biological systems cope or react to any studied factor. Metabolomics is particularly interesting when seen from the perspective of other so-called post-genomic tools, particularly transcriptomics and proteomics in a systems biology approach. In this chapter, we focus on the importance of NMR metabolomics, providing brief concepts and the necessary workflow to work with this very powerful analytical tool. Furthermore, we provide two study cases where NMR metabolomics has been used to address research topics in animal science, namely, the response of small ruminants to seasonal weight loss. We finally conclude the chapter with brief considerations on the future of NMR metabolomics, its integration with proteomics research and its context in animal science.