A total of 96 pigs (Duroc×Landrace×Yorkshire) weaned at day 21 with an average initial body weight of 6.68 kg were used to investigate the effects of sodium butyrate on the growth performance, intestinal microfl ora and morphology of weanling pigs. The pigs were allocated to three dietary treatments in a randomized complete block design, each treatment was replicated four times with eight pigs per replicate and the trial lasted for 30 days. The dietary treatments were: 1. basal diet, 2. basal diet + 500 mg/kg sodium butyrate, 3. basal diet + 1000 mg/kg sodium butyrate. Diets were formulated according to requirements of NRC (1998) for 10-20 kg pigs. All diets were fed as mash, and no antibiotics was included. The results showed that supplementation with 1000 mg/kg sodium butyrate improved (P<0.05) growth performance, reduced (P<0.05) the total viable counts of intestinal Clostridium and Escherichia coli, decreased (P<0.05) tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels in the serum, and increased (P<0.05) villus height and the villus height to crypt depth ratio at the small intestinal mucosa as compared with control. The results indicated that sodium butyrate is effective in enhancing the growth and intestinal morphology of weanling pigs.

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The effects of in ovo feeding of carbohydrates on hatchability, BW, yolk sac weights (YSW), pectoral muscle weights (PMW), liver and pectoral muscle glycogen concentration, serum glucose level, and hepatic glucose-6-phosphatase activity of domestic pigeons, hatched from eggs laid by a 40-wk-old breeder flock, were investigated. At 14.5 of incubation, fertile eggs were injected with 200 μL of 1.5% maltose (M) + 1.5% sucrose (S), 2.5% M + 2.5% S, 3.5% M + 3.5% S, or 4.5% M + 4.5% S in 0.75% saline, with controls not injected. Results showed that in ovo injection with 1.5% M + 1.5% S or 2.5% M + 2.5% S increased the hatchability compared with the control, whereas injection of 4.5% M + 4.5% S decreased the hatchability. The BW at hatch was quadratic, and BW was maximized by injecting 2.5% M + 2.5% S. The YSW at hatch decreased linearly by the injection with 3.5% M + 3.5% S compared with the control group. In ovo injection of 2.5% M + 2.5% S increased the PMW at hatch. There were no significant differences between any of the treatment groups for liver glycogen reserves. Serum glucose level at hatch was quadratic, and the glucose level was maximized between supplemental 2.5% M + 2.5% S and supplemental 3.5% M + 3.5% S. The pectoral muscle glycogen reserves increased quadratically as supplemental carbohydrates increased, and the response was maximized by injecting 2.5% M + 2.5% S. In conclusion, the present results demonstrate that the injected carbohydrates are available for use and storage. In ovo feeding of carbohydrates, especially at the level of 2.5% M + 2.5% S, on 14.5 d of incubation can improve the hatchability, BW, and PMW by elevating the pectoral muscle glycogen reserves in domestic pigeons at hatch. Results also suggested that in ovo injection of carbohydrates could increase the yolk sac nutrient utilization and hence might enhance the pigeon enteric development.