Sodium butyrate in growing and fattening diets for early-weaned rabbits

Abstract

AbstrAct:To study the effect of adding coated sodium butyrate (SB) to growing-fattening rabbit diets, 2 trials were conducted. In trial 1, 180 rabbits were housed in pairs and fattened from 23 (weaning) to 63 d of age to evaluate their zootechnical performance. Trial 2 involved 30 rabbits, from 23 to 37 d of age and housed individually in digestibility cages, to evaluate digestibility, caecal fermentative activity and morphology of the intestinal mucosa. In both trials rabbits were randomly divided into 2 groups, each receiving one of the following diets: control diet [CTR, 360 g neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and 170 g crude protein (CP)/kg dry matter (DM)] and SB diet. The SB diet, similar to CTR diet, included coated SB at 5 g/kg by replacement of an identical quantity of wheat. In trial 1, after the first 2 wk, the SB content was reduced from 5 to 3 g/kg. In trial 2, faeces were collected over the last 6 d (32-37 d of age), with rabbits being slaughtered at 37 d of age. Gastric and caecal pH were measured and fermentative activity was determined in caecal contents. Three sections of the small intestine were excised from 20 rabbits (10 per treatment) for microscopic examination of intestinal villi and crypts in the proximal region, central region and distal region. In the first 2 wk after weaning, SB rabbits grew 8% less than their counterparts (P=0.002), but had a better feed conversion ratio (1.58 vs. 1.61; P=0.036). During the whole trial 1 period, SB improved feed conversion (P=0.005) and decreased feed intake (104.1 CTR vs. 98.8 g/d SB; P=0.017). No difference was recorded in daily weight gain (42.7 vs. 42.9 g/d). In both diets, the digestibility of DM, organic matter, energy, CP and NDF were similar. In the 3 intestinal regions of rabbits fed SB diet, crypts were deeper (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in villus height and width between treatments. Pectinase activity was higher (P=0.054) with SB diet, but cellulase and xylanase activity remained unaffected by diet. In our experimental conditions, the addition of SB allowed an improvement in feed conversion.

EFFECT OF ADDITION OF Saccharomyces cerevisiae AND/ OR SODIUM BUTYRATE ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND BLOOD BIOCHEMICALS IN GROWING RABBITS

“…The opposite trends was noted in VFA (P=0.01). Same results was conducted by Ribeiro et al, (2012) who detected that addition SB in rabbits diets did not significant difference in pH and VFA between control or treated group, respectively. Romero et al, (2011) found in their study that organic acid did not effect on the caecum pH compared with control group.…”

“…In this connect, Agboola et al, (2018) told that sole organic acid salt added to broiler chicks diets did not recover BW, BWG and FI. Ribeiro et al, (2012) recorded that rabbits fed on diet containing SB consumed less (98.8 vs. 104.1 g/d; P=0.05) and grew the same (42.7 vs. 42.9 g/d) than their control. Data in the same Table showed that the effect of interaction between the SC and SB levels supplementation was not significant for BW, BWG, FI and FCR ratio), respectively.…”

“…In conflict Kliševičiūtė et al, (2016) indicated that inclusion of butyrate and mixture of organic acid salt in the rabbit feeds increased the body weight and growth rate of rabbits. Ribeiro et al, (2012) told that using coated Na-butyrate (23-63 days of age) found that dietary supplementation with organic acids did not affect growth rate of fattening rabbits. In contrast to our results Viliene et al, (2018) found that the implication of butyric acid, medium chain fatty acids and yeast cell walls (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in the composition feeds raised the rabbit's body weight, weight gain, growth rate and decreased feed intake.…”

Effect of Dietary Additives on Rabbit Performance, Carcass Traits and Some Blood Constituents under Egyptation Summer Season

“…Ribeiro et al (2012), using coated sodium butyrate (23-63 days of age) and Romero et al (2012), using a blend of esterified caproic and caprylic acids (28-56 days of age) found that dietary supplementation with organic acids did not affect growth rate of fattening rabbits. In harmony with the current results, other investigators observed that added dietary organic acids had a positive effect on body weight gain of rabbits, for examples Kamal et al (2008) Table 4 shows the data of daily feed intake of rabbits fed the experimental diets with different feed additives.…”

<b>Duodenal histology and carcass quality of feedlot cattle supplemented with calcium butyrate and <i>Bacillus subtilis

“…The stomach acid coating limits the action of the butyric acid on that site, allowing a stronger effect in the gut (Ribeiro, Gaspar, Pinho, Freire, & Falcão-e-Cunha, 2012). The butyric acid decreases the intestinal pH, hindering the adhesion of pathogenic bacteria to the epithelium, thereby increasing gut absorption capacity by generating an epithelium with less damage by bacterial multiplication.…”