Single-dose infusion of sodium butyrate, but not lactose, increases plasma β-hydroxybutyrate and insulin in lactating dairy cows

Abstract

Several studies have identified beneficial effects of butyrate on rumen development and intestinal health in preruminants. These encouraging findings led to further investigations related to butyrate supplementation in the mature ruminant. However, the effects of elevated butyrate concentrations on rumen metabolism have not been investigated, and consequently the maximum tolerable dosage rate of butyrate has not been established. Therefore, the first objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of a short-term increase in rumen butyrate concentration on key metabolic indicators. The second objective was to evaluate the source of butyrate, either directly dosed in the rumen or indirectly supplied via lactose fermentation in the rumen. Jugular catheters were inserted into 4 ruminally fistulated Holstein cows in a 4×4 Latin square with 3-d periods. On d 1 of each period, 1h after feeding, cows were ruminally dosed with 1 of 4 treatments: (1) 2L of water (CON), (2) 3.5g/kg of body weight (BW) of lactose (LAC), (3) 1g/kg of BW of butyrate (1GB), or (4) 2g/kg of BW of butyrate (2GB). Sodium butyrate was the source of butyrate, and NaCl was added to CON (1.34g/kg of BW), LAC (1.34g/kg of BW), and 1GB (0.67g/kg of BW) to provide equal amounts of sodium as the 2GB treatment. Serial plasma and rumen fluid samples were collected during d 1 of each period. Rumen fluid pH was greater in cows given the 1GB and 2GB treatments compared with the cows given the LAC treatment. Cows administered the 1GB and 2GB treatments had greater rumen butyrate concentrations compared with LAC. Those cows also had greater plasma butyrate concentrations compared with cows given the LAC treatment. Plasma β-hydroxybutyrate was greater and insulin tended to be greater for butyrate treatments compared with LAC. No difference in insulin was found between the 1GB and 2GB treatments. Based on plasma and rumen metabolites, singly infusing 3.5g/kg of BW of lactose into the rumen is not as effective at providing a source of butyrate as compared with singly infusing 1 or 2g/kg of BW of butyrate into the rumen. Additionally, rumen pH, rumen butyrate, plasma β-hydroxybutyrate, glucose, and plasma butyrate were less affected in cows administered the 1GB treatment than in cows given the 2GB treatment. This finding suggests that singly dosing 1g/kg of BW of butyrate could serve as the maximum tolerable concentration for future research.

Infusion of sodium butyrate promotes rumen papillae growth and enhances expression of genes related to rumen epithelial VFA uptake and metabolism in neonatal twin lambs

“…Infusion of SB also increased the concentration of BHBA in plasma herein, which is consistent with the findings by Herrick et al (2017). The increased BHBA in the plasma may be due to increased feed intake of starter with infusion of SB, which leads to increased rumen VFA production, is could also be partly derived from the conversion of exogenous SB.…”

Effect of exogenous butyrate on the gastrointestinal tract of sheep. I. Structure and function of the rumen, omasum, and abomasum1

“…It was shown that less than 2% of butyrate is completely oxidized by the omasal epithelium, with the majority converted to ketone bodies (Hird and Symons, 1959;Hird and Symons, 1961). In line with this direction of butyrate metabolism by the epithelium of the forestomach, greater plasma BHBA concentration was observed in BUT animals, as also shown in other studies when exogenous butyrate was infused directly into the rumen or supplemented in the feed (Huhtanen et al, 1993;Wilson et al, 2012;Herrick et al, 2017). Since ketogenesis does not result in a relevant amount of ATP formation (Kristensen and Harmon, 2004), the stimulatory impact of butyrate on omasal epithelium growth cannot be explained solely by the increased availability of energy for the cells; however, the ruminal epithelium poses metabolic flexibility and shifts toward more extensive butyrate oxidation when butyrate availability increases (Wiese et al, 2013).…”

Plasma concentrations of glucagon-like peptide 1 and 2 in calves fed calf starters containing lactose

“…Górka et al (2014) reported that sodium butyrate supplementation in milk replacers had a greater effect on small intestine development than sodium butyrate supplementation in calf starters. Herrick et al (2017) reported that cows that were administered sodium butyrate into the rumen had higher rumen butyrate concentration than did cows administered lactose, and these results were observed following the administration of a dose that was intended to induce an increased ruminal butyrate concentration, similar to that observed following sodium butyrate administration into the rumen. Further, absolute GLP-2 concentration after weaning (8 to 11 wk of age) did not differ across 3 treatments.…”