Effect of Different SODIUM BUTYRATE Sources on Piglets

In the last Symposium on Gut Health, Norel presented a study of two sources of butyrate on performance and gut morphology in piglets. 72 piglets weaned at 21 days old were distributed into 3 treatments: T1 (CON), control feed; T2 (N’RGY), T1 with Gustor N’RGY (3 kg/t in pre-starter and 1 kg/t in starter phase; 70% of protected sodium butyrate with sodium salts of palm fatty acids); and T3 (BUT), T1 with 3.9 kg/t in pre-starter and 1.3 kg/t in starter phase of 54% sodium butyrate with phosphate salts, achieving the same quantity of sodium butyrate in-feed in both treatments. At the end (d 49), productive parameters were recorded, and one piglet per replicate was euthanized and samples from duodenum, jejunum and ileum were analyzed for gut development. Piglets fed N’RGY diet achieved higher final BW (P>0.05). Animals in BUT group were the lightest, with 850 g less than N’RGY group (P>0.05). There was a reduction in FCR of N’RGY group that accounted for a 12% compared to CON and 19.4% respect to BUT. Crypt depth in jejunum tended to be lower in BUT group. Besides, the V:C ratio tended to be higher in N’RGY compared to CON (1.64 vs 1.18) in ileum. In conclusion, the protection of GUSTOR N’RGY was more efficient than the protection with phosphates salts, and more quantity of active ingredient could reach small intestine to increase absorption surface