Butyrate presence in distinct gastrointestinal tract segments modifies differentially digestive processes and amino acid bioavailability in young broiler chickens

Abstract

The hypothesis was tested that butyrate presence in the digesta of distinct gastrointestinal tract (GIT) segments of broilers leads to differential effects on digesta retention time, gut morphology, and proteolytic enzymatic activities, ultimately resulting in differences in protein digestibility. A total of 320 male day-old Ross 308 broilers were randomly assigned to 5 dietary treatments: 1) control (no butyrate), 2) unprotected butyrate (main activity in the crop and gastric regions), 3) tributyrin (main activity in the small intestine), 4) fat-coated butyrate (activity in the whole GIT) and 5) unprotected butyrate combined with tributyrin, each replicated 8 times. Rapeseed meal was used in combination with a fine dietary particle size in order to challenge the digestive capacity of young broilers. Birds were dissected at 22, 23, and 24 d of age and samples of digesta at various GIT locations as well as tissues were collected. Butyrate concentration varied significantly across GIT segments depending on treatment, indicating that the dietary contrasts were successful. The apparent ileal digestibility of methionine tended to increase when butyrate and/or propionate was present in colonic and cecal contents, possibly due to modifications of GIT development and digesta transit time. Butyrate presence in the digesta of the crop, proventriculus and gizzard, on the contrary, decreased the apparent ileal digestibility of several amino acids (AA). In addition, butyrate presence beyond the gizzard elicited anorexic effect that might be attributable to changes in intestinal enteroendocrine L-cells secretory activities. The present study demonstrates that, in broilers, effects of butyrate on digestive processes are conditioned by the GIT segment wherein the molecule is present and indicates its influence on digestive function and bioavailability of AA.

In-feed resin acids reduce matrix metalloproteinase activity in the ileal mucosa of healthy broilers without inducing major effects on the gut microbiota

“…The chicken intestinal mucosa represents a barrier that protects the body against antigens, microbial toxins, invasive pathogens and toxic molecules taken up with the diet. Numerous studies show that disturbances in the intestinal ecosystem have profound consequences on animal performance, health and welfare [1–3].…”

Dietary Tributyrin Administration Improves Intestinal Morphology and Selected Bacterial and Short-Chain Fatty Acid Profiles in Broilers Under an Isocaloric Feeding Regime

“…In addition, the increase of intestinal SCFA concentrations is associated with lower intestinal pH value ( Meimandipour et al, 2011 ), which is also beneficial for the growth of intestinal probiotic bacteria in broilers. Besides, butyrate and/or propionate presence in the ceca and colon resulted in significantly heavier jejuna and longer small intestinal and total tract retention times ( Moquet et al, 2018 ); therefore, the higher intestinal SCFA concentrations were positively correlated with the improvement of intestinal histomorphology and growth performance in the current study.…”

“…This is particularly challenging as solid scientific proofs are needed. It is of great interest that dietary butyrate intervention improved the apparent metabolizable energy ( Kaczmarek et al, 2016 ), ileal energy digestible coefficient ( Liu et al, 2017 ), and apparent ileal digestibility of methionine ( Moquet et al, 2018 ) in broilers. In addition, the present study also showed promising results as the ADG and EBI were improved following optimal dietary TB administration at 1,840 mg/kg under the cost-saving formulating regime.…”

Effects of encapsulated sodium butyrate and phytogenic on growth performance, carcass traits and health of growing-finishing pigs

“…WALIA et al (2016) evaluated finishing pigs and found that the use of sodium butyrate at a dose of 3,000 ppm for 24 and 28 days before slaughter resulted in improved ADG (respectively, +2.6 and +7.0%) and feed conversion (FC) (respectively, between -4.3 and -8.5%) compared to animals that did not receive supplementation. The better ADG could be attributed to increased digestibility of dietary nutrients and the bioavailability of amino acids, effects specific of the segment of the gastrointestinal tract in which the molecule acts (MOQUET et al, 2017). In addition, in the protected condition, butyrate release is greater in the lower portion of the gastrointestinal tract (BEDFORD & GONG, 2018), influencing intestinal quality.…”