Dietary Sodium Butyrate Supplementation Research Articles

Improving Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) Utilization with Sodium Butyrate in Nile Tilapia Diets: Effects on Growth Performance, Intestinal Histology, Antioxidative Response, and Blood Biomarkers

Yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal was introduced to aquafeed as a suitable protein source to replace fish meal (FM) and soybean meal and, thereby, consistent aquaculture production. However, mealworms should be added at adequate levels due to the presence of antinutritional factors such as chitin. Consequently, sodium butyrate (SB) is suggested to improve feed quality and ensure aquatic animals’ productivity and welfare. In this study, parallel with the protein source (T. molitor meal or FM), dietary supplementation of SB (1 g/kg) is involved as a factor in the 2 × 2 factorial study. The first and the second diets were formulated using FM as a protein source with or without SB, while the third and fourth diets were prepared by replacing FM with T. molitor meal with or without SB supplementation. After 60 days, fish fed with FM or T. molitor and SB showed improved final body weight and weight gain, while those fed with T. molitor without SB had a reduced protein efficiency ratio. Histological analysis revealed that dietary SB improved intestinal histological features by increasing the height and branching of intestinal villi and immune cell infiltration near intestinal crypts in Nile tilapia-fed FM or T. molitor. Furthermore, fish-fed FM or T. molitor and SB had higher Hb, red blood cells, PCV, total protein, and globulin levels than fish-fed respective test diets without SB supplementation. Dietary SB addition to FM or T. molitor-based diets also significantly enhanced blood lysozyme and phagocytic activities, catalase, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase, and reduced MDA levels. Our results demonstrate that T. molitor meal can replace FM without compromising Nile tilapia’s growth performance and health status. Additionally, SB supplementation improved T. molitor meal utilization by Nile tilapia, thereby significantly enhancing the growth, digestion capacity, intestinal histological features, and antioxidative and immune responses. Consequently, dietary T. molitor meal reduces the reliance on FM and improves the sustainability and efficiency of Nile tilapia production.

Sodium butyrate improves the growth performance, intestinal immunity, and ammonia tolerance of yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco by increasing the relative abundance of Candidatus_Arthromitus

The study aimed to analyze the effect of dietary sodium butyrate (SB) on intestinal digestive enzyme activity, liver physiological status, immune parameter, intestinal microbiota structure and composition, and ammonia tolerance in yellow catfish. Over the course of an 8-week experiment, four separate groups including 480 healthy male yellow catfish (1.52 ± 0.66 g) were fed diets containing varying concentrations of SB: 0, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2%. Following this, an acute ammonia stress experiment that lasted for 96-h was conducted. The study showed that dietary supplementation of SB can improve growth performance and feed utilization (weight gain rate increased from 163.66 to 226.1%; specific growth rate increased from 1.73 to 2.11%/d; feed conversion rate decreased from 2.02 to 1.34), and increase intestinal digestive enzyme activity (lipase increased from 22.66 to 41.46 U/mg prot; amylase increased from 0.38 to 0.46 U/mg prot; pepsin increased from 10.13 to 12.83 U/mg prot). Plasma total protein (from 510.79 to 523.02 μg/mL), 50% hemolytic complement (from 35.46 to 40.46 U/mL), and immunoglobulin M (from 0.45 to 0.48 g/L) increased as dietary SB levels. On the contrary, plasma glucose (from 6.2 to 3.39 mmol/mL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (from 0.38 to 0.25 mmol/mL), aspartate aminotransferase (from 55.66 to 37.36 U/L), alanine aminotransferase (from 358.82 to 283.25 U/L), superoxide dismutase (from 163.84 to 147.13 U/mL), catalase (from 152.89 to 135.07 U/mL), tumor necrosis factor-α (from 67.58 to 62.13 pg/mL), interleukin-1 (from 40.07 to 30.96 pg/mL), and interleukin-8 (from 57.16 to 52.16 pg/mL) decreased with dietary SB levels. In addition, dietary supplementation of 0.2% SB significantly increased the relative abundance of Candidatus_Arthromitus in intestine by approximately 22-fold. To sum up, the utilization of SB has potential to enhance fish growth performance, elevate its physiological status, and improve its ability to tolerate acute ammonia toxicity. This is achievable by increasing the prevalence of Candidatus_Arthromitus in the intestine.

Influences of dietary sodium butyrate on growth, digestion, antioxidant capacity and health in juvenile Onychostoma macrolepis fed on high-fat diet

Butyrate is a short-chain fatty acid with growth and immune regulatory effects. The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of sodium butyrate (SB) on Onychostoma macrolepis fed high-fat diet. O.macrolepis (2.5 ± 0.1 g) were kept in twelve aquariums (three aquarium /treatment, fifteen fish / aquarium), fed a high-fat diet (control), and high-fat diet supplemented with 0.1%, 0.2% or 0.4% SB for fifty-six days. The results showed that the supplementation of 0.2% SB in high-fat diet significantly promoted the growth of O.macrolepis. Simultaneously, dietary SB supplementation improved lipase and trypsin activities and intestinal histological morphology of O.macrolepis consuming with high-fat diets. Furthermore, the supplementation of 0.2% or 0.4% SB in the diet enhanced serum immunity and intestinal antioxidant capacity. Additionally, the addition of 0.2–0.4% SB up-regulated the transcriptional level of peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor alpha (pparα) gene, thereby activating pparα-mediated β-oxidation and mitigating liver lipid accumulation of O.macrolepis. In summary, the addition of 0.2–0.4% SB in high-fat diet was beneficial to growth, digestion, immunity and health of O.macrolepis. This study provides a reference for SB as a functional additive of aquatic feed.

Dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate enhances lactation performance by promoting nutrient digestion and mammary gland development in dairy cows

This experiment was to evaluate the influence of sodium butyrate (SB) addition on milk production, ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestion, and the development and metabolism regulation of the mammary gland in dairy cows. Forty Holstein dairy cows averaging 710 ± 18.5 kg body weight, 72.8 ± 3.66 d in milk (DIM), and 41.4 ± 1.42 kg/d milk production were divided into four treatments blocked by DIM and milk production. Treatments were control group, low SB, medium SB, and high SB with 0, 100, 200 and 300 g/d of SB addition per cow, respectively. The study lasted for 105 d. Production of milk, milk protein and lactose quadratically increased (P < 0.05), while fat-corrected milk, energy-corrected milk and milk fat yields linearly increased (P < 0.05) with increasing SB addition. The digestibility of dietary dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein linearly increased (P < 0.05), whereas the digestibility of ether extract, neutral detergent fibre, and acid detergent fibre quadratically increased (P < 0.05). Ruminal pH quadratically decreased (P = 0.04), while total volatile fatty acids (VFA) quadratically increased (P = 0.03) with increasing SB addition. The acetic acid to propionic acid ratio increased (P = 0.03) linearly due to the unaltered acetic acid molar percentage and a linear decrease in propionic acid molar percentage. Ruminal enzymatic activity of carboxymethyl-cellulase and α-amylase, populations of total bacteria, total anaerobic fungi, total protozoa, Ruminococcus albus, R. flavefaciens, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Fibrobacter succinogenes, and Ruminobacter amylophilus linearly increased (P < 0.05). Blood glucose, urea nitrogen, and non-esterified fatty acids linearly decreased (P < 0.05), while total protein concentration linearly increased (P = 0.04). Moreover, the addition of SB at 200 g/d promoted (P < 0.05) mRNA and protein expression of PPARγ, SREBF1, ACACA, FASN, SCD, CCNA2, CCND1, PCNA, Bcl-2, GPR41, and the ratios of p-Akt/Akt and p-mTOR/mTOR, but decreased (P < 0.05) mRNA and protein expressions of Bax, caspase-3, and caspase-9. The results suggest that milk production and milk fat synthesis increased with SB addition by stimulating rumen fermentation, nutrient digestion, gene and protein expressions concerned with milk fat synthesis and mammary gland development.

Sodium butyrate activates HMGCS2 to promote ketone body production through SIRT5-mediated desuccinylation.

Ketone bodies have beneficial metabolic activities, and the induction of plasma ketone bodies is a health promotion strategy. Dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate (SB) is an effective approach in the induction of plasma ketone bodies. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms are unknown. In this study, SB was found to enhance the catalytic activity of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase 2 (HMGCS2), a rate-limiting enzyme in ketogenesis, to promote ketone body production in hepatocytes. SB administrated by gavage or intraperitoneal injection significantly induced blood ß-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) in mice. BHB production was induced in the primary hepatocytes by SB. Protein succinylation was altered by SB in the liver tissues with down-regulation in 58 proteins and up-regulation in 26 proteins in the proteomics analysis. However, the alteration was mostly observed in mitochondrial proteins with 41% down- and 65% up-regulation, respectively. Succinylation status of HMGCS2 protein was altered by a reduction at two sites (K221 and K358) without a change in the protein level. The SB effect was significantly reduced by a SIRT5 inhibitor and in Sirt5-KO mice. The data suggests that SB activated HMGCS2 through SIRT5-mediated desuccinylation for ketone body production by the liver. The effect was not associated with an elevation in NAD+/NADH ratio according to our metabolomics analysis. The data provide a novel molecular mechanism for SB activity in the induction of ketone body production.

Dietary Sodium Butyrate Supplementation Alleviates High-Fat Diet-Induced Liver Injury by Activating Nrf2 in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Dietary Sodium Butyrate Supplementation Alleviates High-Fat Diet-Induced Liver Injury by Activating Nrf2 in Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio)

Dietary sodium butyrate supplementation improves fish growth, intestinal microbiota composition, and liver health in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fed high-fat diets

The present study evaluated the effect of dietary sodium butyrate (NaBT) supplementation on the growth performance, intestinal microbiota composition, and liver health of largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides fed high-fat diets. Four isonitrogenous and isolipid diets were formulated: a high-fat diet and the high-fat diet supplemented by 0.05% NaBT, 0.1% NaBT, or 0.2% NaBT. Each diet was randomly distributed to triplicate tanks (200L) containing 30 fish (initial weight 4.0 ± 0.1 g) per tank. The experimental fish were fed to apparent satiation twice daily for 60 days. The orthogonal polynomial contrasts showed that the weight gain rate (WGR) and specific growth rate (SGR) increased linearly (P < 0.05) with increasing dietary NaBT levels (P < 0.05). No significant differences were found for feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), condition factor (CF), viscerosomatic index (VSI), and hepatosomatic index (HSI). There were no differences in the alpha diversity indices (including Operational Taxonomic Units, Chao index, and Simpson index) of intestinal microbiota between the various dietary groups (P > 0.05). For the intestinal microbiota composition, the proportion of Proteobacteria were linearly and cubically increased, whereas the proportion of Tenericutes and Mesomycoplasma were linearly and cubically decreased with the increase of dietary NaBT levels (P < 0.05). The increasing dietary NaBT levels led to significantly quadratic decrease of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (P < 0.05), linear and quadratic decrease of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (P < 0.05), and linear, quadratic, and cubic decrease of diamine oxidase (DAO) (P < 0.05). Hepatic triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TCHO) contents decreased linearly and quadratically with the increase of dietary NaBT levels (P < 0.05). Increasing dietary NaBT levels linearly, quadratically, and cubically decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) contents (P < 0.05). Total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity levels increased linearly with the increasing dietary NaBT levels (P < 0.05). As the dietary NaBT levels gradually increased, the relative expression of carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT1) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) increased linearly, quadratically, and cubically (P < 0.05), while the relative expression of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP 1) decreased linearly, quadratically, and cubically (P < 0.05). The relative expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and cysteinyl aspartate specific protease 3 (Caspase 3) decreased linearly and quadratically with the increasing NaBT levels (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that fish growth was closely correlated with microbiota composition, hepatic lipid accumulation, hepatic antioxidant-related parameters, and hepatic gene expression (P < 0.05). These results indicated that NaBT could be used to alleviate the negative influence of high-fat diets on fish growth, intestinal microbiota homeostasis, and liver health.

Dietary Sodium Butyrate Supplementation Attenuates the Detrimental Effects of High‐Fat Diets on Growth Performance, Liver Health, and Disease Resistance in Grass Carp

AbstractAn 8‐week experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of sodium butyrate (NaBT) inclusion in high‐fat (HF) diets on growth performance, liver health, and disease resistance in Grass Carp Ctenopharyngodon idella. Three diets (Control diet containing crude lipid at 58 g/kg, HF diet with 108‐g/kg crude lipid, and NaBT diet with 108‐g/kg crude lipid and 1‐g/kg NaBT) were randomly assigned to nine tanks with 30 fish (9.50 ± 0.06 g) in each tank. After the feeding trial, disease resistance was assessed by injecting the fish with Aeromonas hydrophila. Compared to the Control diet group, the HF diet group showed lower specific growth rate, feed efficiency, and survival rate (15.7%) after the A. hydrophila challenge; significantly higher activity levels of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase in plasma; higher malondialdehyde content; higher messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of interleukin‐8, cysteinyl aspartate specific protease (caspase) 9, and caspase 3; lower activity level of glutathione peroxidase; and lower mRNA expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 in liver. However, the NaBT diet significantly increased fish growth performance and survival rate (39.7%) after the A. hydrophila challenge and reduced hepatic oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis compared to the HF diet. In conclusion, NaBT can ameliorate the detrimental effects of HF diets on fish growth performance and fish health.

Dietary sodium butyrate and/or vitamin D3 supplementation alters growth performance, meat quality, chemical composition, and oxidative stability in broilers

The present study was conducted to elucidate the effects of sodium butyrate (SB) and vitamin D3 (VD3) supplementation on meat quality, oxidative stability, and nutritional value of the broiler chicken. The results indicated that dietary SB decreased lightness (L*), cooking and drip loss, free fatty acids (FFA), C14:0, C16:0, saturated fatty acids (SFA), C20:4n6, and n-6: n3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and increased DPPH and ABTS in chicken meat. The PUFAs content in the chicken meat increased only when SB was added along with higher VD3 levels. However, the amino acid content was reduced with an increase in the VD3 levels. In conclusion, dietary SB supplementation improved chicken meat quality by enhancing the antioxidant capacity and physical properties. Moreover, adding SB or combined with higher VD3 levels optimized the fatty acid composition. However, higher VD3 levels reduced the amino acid content of the chicken meat.

Influence of dietary sodium butyrate supplementation on performance, nutrient digestibility and economics of broiler chicken

A feeding trial (42 days) was conducted to assess the influence of dietary sodium butyrate supplementation on performance, nutrient digestibility and economics of broiler chicken. Two hundred forty straight run commercial broiler chicks were distributed in four groups with 4 replicates of 15 chicks following completely randomized design. The groups consisted of a control fed the basal diet (SB0); other groups were fed basal diet supplemented with three levels each of sodium butyrate (SB) at 0.05 (SB0.05), 0.1 (SB01) and 0.15 (SB015) percent. The cumulative feed intake (g) was comparable (P>0.05) among the treatment groups up to 21 days age. However, the cumulative feed intake (g) from 22 to 42 days and for overall period was significantly reduced (P<0.05) in SB01 group than SB0 and SB0 05; whereas the intake in SB015 remained comparable. The cumulative body weights (g) were comparable (P>0.05) among treatment groups during 4–6 weeks and for overall period. The cumulative feed conversion ratio (FCR) of experimental groups remained comparable (P>0.05) on the first 21 days. However, during 46 weeks and overall FCR was significantly improved (P<0.05) in SB01 than SB0. Except for CP, the digestibility (%) for other nutrients remained comparable (P>0.05). A significant betterment (P<0.05) in CP digestibility (%) in SB supplemented groups was recorded than control. Economic returns were found to be better in group supplemented with SB01 than the respective levels of SB. Hence, it is concluded that dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate at 0.1% level positively modified growth performance, protein digestibility and economic returns in broiler chicken.

Dietary sodium butyrate supplementation attenuates intestinal inflammatory response and improves gut microbiota composition in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fed with a high soybean meal diet.

The study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary sodium butyrate (NaBT) supplementation on the gut health of largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) fed with a high soybean meal diet. Three isonitrogenous and isolipidic diets were formulated: a high fishmeal group (Control); a high soybean meal group (SBM), in which the 30% fishmeal protein in the Control diet was replaced by soy protein; and an NaBT group, in which 0.2% NaBT was added to the SBM diet. Each diet was fed to triplicate tanks (20 fish in each tank). After 8weeks of feeding trial, the distal intestine and intestinal digesta of the fish in each treatment were sampled. The results showed that fishmeal replacement and NaBT supplementation did not affect fish growth performance. Dietary 0.2% NaBT supplementation improved intestinal morphology, increasing the villus width and villus height and reducing the width of lamina propria. The distal intestine of fish in the control and NaBT groups demonstrated lower activities of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and a lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content, compared with the fish in the SBM group. Moreover, the addition of 0.2% NaBT in the feed significantly decreased the expression of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and interleukin 1β (IL-1β) compared to the SBM diet. PCoA and UPGMA analyses based on weighted UniFrac distances demonstrated that intestinal microbial communities in the NaBT group were closer to those in the control group than to those in the SBM group. In addition, dietary 0.2% NaBT supplementation significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes and decreased the abundance of Tenericutes at the phylum level. Furthermore, the abundance of Bacteroides, Lachnospiraceae_unclassified, and Lachnospiraceae_uncultured was significantly increased, while that of Mycoplasma was significantly decreased in fish intestine at NaBT group at the genus level. In conclusion, dietary NaBT supplementation had beneficial roles in protecting the gut health of largemouth bass from the impairments caused by soybean meal.

Effect of sodium butyrate on slaughter performance, serum indexes and intestinal barrier of rabbits.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of sodium butyrate on slaughter performance, serum indexes and the intestinal barrier in rabbits. Six hundred healthy weaned rabbits were randomly divided into three groups (5 replicates per group, 40 rabbits per replicate): control (fed a basal diet), sodium butyrate (fed a basal diet containing 0.5% sodium butyrate) and antibiotic (fed a basal diet containing 0.004% antibiotic). The trial lasted 35days, including 7days of pretesting and 28days of formal testing. The results showed that dietary sodium butyrate supplementation increased the full-bore weight, the half-bore weight and the half-bore rate of rabbits. Meanwhile, the content of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum was increased in rabbits fed the sodium butyrate diet. According to the intestinal barrier, after adding sodium butyrate to feed, the tight junction function of the rabbit intestine is enhanced, and the intestinal microbial composition is also improved. To sum up, after sodium butyrate was added to feed instead of antibiotics, slaughter performance was significantly enhanced, serum indexes were improved, and intestinal barrier function was also enhanced. Therefore, sodium butyrate can be added to feed as an additive and can replace antibiotics.

Effect of dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate on ceacal microflora and villi morphology in broiler chicken

Objective: A feeding trial was conducted to assess the effect of supplementation of sodium butyrate on the gut health in broiler chicken. Methods: The trial consisted of six experimental groups with 12 replicates, each containing 6 chicks with a total of 432 birds. The experimental groups consisted of a control group fed the diet without antibiotic (CON), another group fed the diet with antibiotic oxytetracycline (50 ppm; AB), and groups fed the diet with two levels each of coated-sodium butyrate (CSB) at 0.09 and 0.18%, and uncoated sodium butyrate (UCSB) at 0.03 and 0.06% without antibiotic. The trial was carried out in deep litter pen for 42 days. After 42 days, the birds were slaughtered for collection of jejunum and contents of ceacum for the study of villi morphology and microflora count respectively. Results: The caecal Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens count were reduced (P

Immune Response, Antioxidant Biomarkers and Histology of Caecal Tonsils of quail Supplemented with Sodium Butyrate

This study aimed to evaluate the impacts of dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate (SB) on antioxidant biomarkers, immune response and caecal tonsils (CT) histomorphometry of quail. A total of 240 one-day-old quails were randomly allocated into four groups with three replicates each. The first group was fed a basal diet (BD) without SB (control, T1), the 2nd group fed 1 g SB/kg BD during the first period from 0-3 weeks, then BD until the sixth week as early short feeding SB (ESFSB, T2), the 3rd group fed 1 g SB/kg BD during the whole period from 0-6 weeks as long feeding SB (LFSB, T3), and the 4th group fed BD from 0-3 week then fed 1 g SB/kg BD during the second period from 3-6 weeks as late short feeding SB (LSFSB, T4). The SB supplementation in quail diet significantly increased (P<0.05) serum total antioxidant capacity and declined malondialdehyde level compared with the control group. The inclusion of SB had a higher immune response through the increase of SRBCs titer value (P<0.05) in ESFSB, LSFSB and LFSB groups than the control group. Histomorphometry parameters of CT were significantly improved in ESFSB and LFSB compared the control. The LFSB group fed a diet containing SB from 0-6 weeks had better antioxidant biomarkers, immune response and histomorphometry parameters of CT of quail. In conclusion, it is suggested feeding quail on diets containing SB through the whole growth period to display its positive influence on the antioxidant biomarkers and immunity of quail

Sodium Butyrate Protects the Intestinal Barrier by Modulating Intestinal Host Defense Peptide Expression and Gut Microbiota after a Challenge with Deoxynivalenol in Weaned Piglets.

This study aims to determine whether sodium butyrate (SB) could antagonize deoxynivalenol (DON)-induced intestinal epithelial dysfunction. In a four-week feeding trial, twenty-eight barrows were randomly divided into four treatments: (1) uncontaminated basal diet (control); (2) 4 mg/kg DON-contaminated diet (DON); (3) basal diet supplemented with 0.2% SB (SB); and (4) 4 mg/kg DON + 0.2% SB (DON + SB). A decrease in performance was observed in DON-exposed animals, which was prevented by the dietary SB supplementation. DON exposure also depressed the expression of host defense peptides (HDPs) in the intestine, impaired the intestinal barrier integrity, and disturbed the gut microbiota homeostasis. These alterations induced by DON were attenuated by SB supplementation. The supplementation of 0.2% SB ameliorated the adverse effects of DON on the liver in terms of hepatic lesions as well as serum concentrations of alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase. In IPEC-J2 cells, pretreatment with SB alleviated the DON-induced decreased cell viability. Additionally, the NOD2/caspase-12 pathway participated in the alleviation of SB on DON-induced diminished HDP expression. Taken together, these data demonstrated that SB protected piglets from DON-induced intestinal barrier dysfunction potentially through stimulation of intestinal HDP assembly and regulation in gut microbiota.

Sodium butyrate as an effective feed additive to improve growth performance and gastrointestinal development in broilers.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary sodium butyrate (SB) supplementation on growth performance, the development of gastrointestinal tract and immune organs (thymus, spleen and bursa of fabricius), and serum antibody titer after Newcastle disease (ND) vaccination in broilers. The total of 288 1‐day‐old broilers were randomly allocated to four groups with six replications according to initial body weight. Four treatment groups were designed as follows and fed the indicated diets: CON, basal diet; T1, basal diet supplemented with 0.3 g/kg SB; T2, basal diet supplemented with 0.6 g/kg SB; T3, basal diet supplemented with 1.2 g/kg SB. During days 1–21, broilers fed the T2 diet had higher (p < .05) average daily gain (ADG) than broilers fed the CON diet. On day 21, dietary SB supplementation showed linear increase (p < .05) in relative weight of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, small intestine (the sum weight of duodenum, jejunum and ileum), pancreas and thymus, and linear increase (p < .05) in relative length of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, small intestine (the sum length of duodenum, jejunum and ileum) and caeca. Meanwhile, dietary SB supplementation showed linear increase in the antibody titer against ND on days 14, 21, 28 and 35. In conclusion, dietary SB supplementation improved the development of gastrointestinal by increasing the relative weight and length, as well as enhanced the immune response of ND vaccine.

The effects of dietary sodium butyrate supplementation on the growth performance, carcass traits and intestinal microbiota of growing‐finishing pigs

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of dietary sodium butyrate supplementation on growth performance, carcass traits and intestinal of growing-finishing pigs. Thirty pigs (27·4±0·4kg) were randomly assigned to receive one of three diets: basal diet (negative control group), basal diet+40ppm zinc bacitracin (positive control group) and basal diet+0·2% sodium butyrate (sodium butyrate group), respectively. The experiment lasted for 69days, including 3days for diet and housing condition adaptation. On day 70, five piglets from each diet group were slaughtered for collecting blood and tissue samples. When compared to the control group, final body weight, daily body weight gain and daily feed intake of pigs in the sodium butyrate group were increased (P<0·05) and feed intake/body weight gain ratio was decreased (P<0·05). Carcass weight of pigs in the sodium butyrate group was higher than that of pigs in the negative and positive groups (P<0·05); backfat thickness of pigs in the positive group was higher than that of pigs in the negative group and sodium butyrate group (P<0·001). When compared to the negative and positive groups, pigs fed diet supplemented with sodium butyrate showed a increased relative abundance of bacteroidetes in the caecum and a decreased relative abundance of fiemicutes and proteobacteria in the caecum (P<0·05). The results indicated that dietary sodium butyrate supplementation increased growth performance of growing-finishing pigs and improved the carcass traits and intestinal health. Antibiotic-free feed has become an inevitable worldwide trend. This study showed that dietary sodium butyrate supplementation improved the growth performance and intestinal health of growing-finishing pigs. Thus, sodium butyrate can be applied in growing-finishing pig feed as an alternative of antibiotics.

Sodium butyrate enhances growth performance and intestinal development in broilers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of sodium butyrate (SB) on growth performance and development of digestive and immune organs in broilers. Dietary treatments had similar compositions but with 0%, 0.03%, 0.06%, and 0.12% SB substituted (weight/weight) for identical amounts of the basal diet. SB supplementation linearly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) average daily gain for each period, except for days 15–21. SB supplementation linearly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the relative weight of proventriculus (day 7), gizzard (days 7 and 14), duodenum (days 21 and 28), jejunum (day 21), ileum (day 21), small intestine (day 21), rectum (day 14), pancreas (days 7 and 21), liver (days 21 and 28), and thymus (days 7, 14, and 21). SB supplementation linearly increased (P &amp;lt; 0.05) the relative length of duodenum (day 21), jejunum (days 14 and 21), ileum (days 14 and 21) and small intestine (days 14 and 21), caeca (day 21) and rectum (day 21), as well as it improved intestinal structure by increasing the villus height in jejunum and ileum, and increasing goblet cell counts in duodenum, jejunum, and ileum. Collectively, dietary SB supplementation improved the growth performance of broilers by improving the development and morphological structure of the broilers’ intestinal organs.

Dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate for mixed-parity sows during lactation

The aim of this study was to evaluate dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate for mixed-parity sows during lactation on reproductive performance, milk composition, blood parameters and litter performance. A total of 192 sows were distributed in a completely randomized design in a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement, considering 4 experimental diets (diet without sodium butyrate, diet with 0.1% and 0.2% coated sodium butyrate, and diet with 0.066% uncoated sodium butyrate) and 4 parity order groups (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th, 5th to 7th), totaling 16 treatments with 12 replicates each, considering each sow and their litter as experimental unit. Dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate did not influence the reproductive performance of sows and productive performance of piglets during lactation (P > 0.05). There was an effect of parity orders on body weight at farrowing and weaning, average daily feed intake and estimated daily milk production of the sows (P < 0.05). There was influence of the different parity orders on litter weight at 48 h post-farrowing and at weaning, and also on the daily weight gain of the litter (P < 0.05). There was no interaction between the sodium butyrate supplementation and the different parity orders on blood parameters of sows (P > 0.05). There was interaction between the supplementation of sodium butyrate and the parity orders in caprylic, myristic and arachidonic acids in the milk of sows (P < 0.05). The butyric acid (C4:0) in the milk was influenced by dietary supplementation of sodium butyrate and parity orders (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation of coated and uncoated sodium butyrate for lactating sows modifies the milk fatty acid profile, but does not affect the performance and blood parameters of sows, nor the performance of their progenies during lactation. Sows of 5th to 7th parity have better productive performance and heavier litter at 48 h post-farrowing and at weaning when compared to primiparous sows.

Stimulatory effect of dietary butyrate on growth, immune response, and resistance of Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus against Aeromonas hydrophila infection

Acidifiers could be used as feed additives to stimulant performance, health, and immunity of fish fed plant-based diets. In the present study, sodium butyrate (SB) was incorporated in practical diets for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus (L.) to alleviate the adverse effects of high contents of plant ingredients in fish diets. However, Gustor BP-70 (Norel Misr), which is a protected SB (70%) coated with 30% of vegetable fat, was incorporated in a practical fish diet at levels of 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 g/kg diet. Fish (5.4 ± 0.5 g) were fed the tested diets manually up to apparent satiation twice a day for 90 days in quadruplicates. At the end of the feeding trial, fish were intraperitoneally injected by pathogenic bacteria, Aeromonas hydrophila and kept under observation for 10 days to record any irregular clinical signs and daily fish mortality. Dietary SB showed stimulating-effects on fish growth, feed utilization, and innate immunity of Nile tilapia. Likewise, activities of serum lysozyme and respiratory burst as well as bactericidal and agglutination activities were significantly improved due to dietary SB supplementation in a dose-dependent trend. After A. hydrophila infection, no fish mortality was detected in fish fed 7.5–10.0 g SB/kg diet, whereas fish fed the control diet showed highest mortality (85.0%). Based on the regression curve, it could recommend the use of 6.25 g SB/kg diet as a feed supplement for Nile tilapia to enhance its performance, immunity, and resistance against the possible infection by pathogenic bacteria A. hydrophila.