Protected sodium butyrate in chicken diets until 21 days of age improves intestinal development and performance

Abstract

This study was developed to examine the performance, carcass and cut yields, nutrient digestibility, and intestinal histomorphometry of chickens fed diets supplemented with protected sodium butyrate until 21 days of age. Two experiments were conducted, both of which involved the following treatments: basal diet with inclusion of an antibiotic; basal diet without antibiotic or protected sodium butyrate (PSB; control); basal diet with inclusion of 225 g/t PSB in the pre-starter and starter phases; and basal diet with inclusion of 300 g/t PSB in the pre-starter and starter phases. In the first experiment, 784 male broiler chicks were distributed into the four treatments, with seven replicates of 28 birds, to evaluate performance and carcass and cut yields. In experiment II, 280 male broiler chicks were distributed into the four treatments, with seven replicates of 10 birds, to evaluate intestinal digestibility and histomorphometry. At 42 days of age, the broilers supplemented with 225 g/t PSB had a higher average final weight than the control group. At seven days, the chickens supplemented with 300 g/t PSB exhibited the highest duodenal villus height; those supplemented with 225 or 300g/t PSB or antibiotic showed the greatest jejunal villus height; and those treated with 225 g/t PSB exhibited the highest jejunal villus/crypt ratio. At 21 days of age, the broilers that received 225 g/t PSB showed the highest duodenal and jejunal villus height. The use of protected sodium butyrate in chicken diets up to 21 days of age improves intestinal development and performance until slaughter age.

Diet-induced changes in the jejunal microbiota of developing broilers reduce the abundance of Enterococcus hirae and Enterococcus faecium

“…These findings therefore suggest that that butyrate supplementation has a positive effect on the broiler jejunal microbiota 4 days post-hatch, but not at 33 days post-hatch [ 66 , 67 ]. While this concerns the positive effects on the microbiota, previous studies have shown that the mainly positive effects of butyrate on broiler performance take place when supplemented for the duration of the starter phase (until 14–21 days) [ 68 , 69 ]. While some studies confirm that this holds true for improved effects on broiler intestinal development as well, these results are ambiguous [ 52 , 68 , 70 , 71 ].…”

“…While this concerns the positive effects on the microbiota, previous studies have shown that the mainly positive effects of butyrate on broiler performance take place when supplemented for the duration of the starter phase (until 14-21 days) [68,69]. While some studies confirm that this holds true for improved effects on broiler intestinal development as well, these results are ambiguous [52,68,70,71]. Our results indicate potential negative effects of butyrate supplementation in broiler at 33 days post-hatch, which seems to be in line with the findings of our previous study, where butyrate supplementation was found to increase both Gram-negative bacteria abundance and endotoxin excretion in the cloacal microbiota at 35 days post-hatch [72].…”