Dietary Supplementation of Free or Microcapsulated Sodium Butyrate on Weaned Piglet Performances

Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale della Sicilia, Catania, ItalyThe effects of dietary addition of sodium butyrate on growth performance and on intestinal health ofweaned piglets were studied. At the age of 21 days (Day 0), animals were weaned and, on the basisof the body weight (57±08 kg), allotted into three treatment groups consisting of 6 replication with2 pigs per pen (1 castrated male and 1 female). The three dietary treatments included a basal diet(CTR group), the basal diet supplemented with 0.15%n-butyric acid sodium salt—ADIMIX C(ADIgroup) or 0.15% of fat-protected sodium butyrate—BUTISAFE Coated (BUTI group). Growth per-formance and microbiological analyses were determined during the 45d postweaning. After slaugh-tering (66d of age) digesta and intestinal tissues were collected to evaluate variables indicative ofaspects of the gastrointestinal environment. The BUTI group showed higher (p<005) final BWand ADG than ADI and CTR. FCR showed lower values (p<005) in piglets fed sodium butyrate.Enumeration of lactic acid bacteria on intestinal mucosa showed significantly (p<001) higher val-ues in BUTI than ADI and CTR. Total SCFA was lower (p<005) in BUTI than in CTR and ADI.Villous length and crypt depth showed a significant (p<005) increase in the piglets fed sodiumbutyrate. The presented data testified the key role of sodium butyrate in maintaining the intestinalhealth status of piglets.