Dietary supplementation of free or microcapsulated sodium butyrate on weaned piglet performances

The effects of dietary addition of sodium butyrate on growth performance and on intestinal health of weaned piglets were studied. At the age of 21 days (Day 0), animals were weaned and, on the basis of the body weight (5,7 ± 0,8 kg), allotted into three treatment groups consisting of 6 replication with 2 pigs per pen (1 castrated male and 1 female). The three dietary treatments included a basal diet (CTR group), the basal diet supplemented with 0.15% n-butyric acid sodium salt - ADIMIX ® C (ADI group) or 0.15% of fat-protected sodium butyrate - BUTISAFE Coated (BUTI group). Growth performance and microbiological analyses were determined during the 45d postweaning. After slaughtering (66d of age) digesta and intestinal tissues were collected to evaluate variables indicative of aspects of the gastrointestinal environment. The BUTI group showed higher (p < 0.05) final BW and ADG than ADI and CTR. FCR showed lower values (p < 0.05) in piglets fed sodium butyrate. Enumeration of lactic acid bacteria on intestinal mucosa showed significantly (p < 0.01) higher values in BUTI than ADI and CTR. Total SCFA was lower (p < 0.05) in BUTI than in CTR and ADI. Villous length and crypt depth showed a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the piglets fed sodium butyrate. The presented data testified the key role of sodium butyrate in maintaining the intestinal health status of piglets.