Effect of Tributyrin Supplementation in Diet on Production Performance and Gastrointestinal Tract of Healthy Nursery Pigs
Abstract
Background and Objective: The period after weaning is a critical period in swine production due to several factors affecting the function of the small intestine. Since, tributyrin is a potential alternative for overcoming these problems, this study was conducted to evaluate the effects of supplementing tributyrin in diet on productive performance and gastrointestinal tract of nursery pigs. Materials and Methods: The 64 castrated commercial piglets were studied for 56 days (from 21-77 days of age) and kept under evaporative cooling system. The piglets were arranged by completely randomized design; a t-test was used to compare mean different of the treatments. The pigs were randomly divided into 2 treatments and each treatment consisted of 8 replications, 4 pigs each. Results: Feeding tributyrin had no significant effects on the growth performance (p>0.05), while ileum villous height tended to increase (p = 0.07). Gastrointestinal pH, populations of E. coli and Lactobacillus spp., in the caecum and caecal short-chain fatty acids concentration were not influenced by tributyrin supplementation (p>0.05). Conclusion: Although, tributyrin did not have significant effect on productive performance and gut ecology of healthy piglets, it may positively support intestinal morphology. In healthy piglets, the effect of various levels of tributyrin supplementation in diet on intestinal morphology is interesting and should be more investigated.
Keywords:
Butyric acid, gastrointestinal pH, intestinal microflora, intestinal morphology, organic acids, piglets, production performance, short-chain fatty acids, tributyrin, villiArticle Metrics
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