0
Organic acid would stimulate mucus production and intestinal secretions with the subsequent benefit of intestinal health and acts as a powerful inhibitor of intestinal inflammation and the development of tumors. The study assessed changes in the gut microbiota of pigs after dietary supplementation with protected sodium butyrate during the growing-fattening period (≈90 days). A total of 100 pigs in 8 pens (12–14 pigs/pen) were used. The animals were fed with 3 diets (starting, fattening, and finishing) during the fattening period (6 months). 4 randomly selected pens were added 3 kg of protected sodium butyrate per ton of feed. The remaining 4 pens were fed with the same diets without the additive (control group). One gram of colon content from 18 pigs (treatment group, n=9 and control group, n=9) was collected. Bacterial DNA was extracted and 16S rRNA high-throughput amplicon sequencing used to assess microbiota changes between groups.
The groups shared 75.4% of the 4697 operational taxonomic units identified. No differences in alpha diversity were found, but significant differences for some specific taxa were detected between groups. The low-represented phylum Deinococcus-Thermus, which is associated with the production of carotenoids with antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties, was increased in the treatment group. Prevotellaceae, Lachnospiraceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, Peptococcaceae, and Terrisporobacter were increased in the treatment group. Members of these families have the ability to ferment complex dietary polysaccharides and produce larger amounts of short chain fatty acids. Regarding species, only Clostridium butyricum was increased in the treatment group. Clostridium butyricum is well-known as probiotic in humans, but it has also been associated with overall positive gut effects (increased villus height, improved body weight, reduction of diarrhoea, etc.) in weanling pigs.
Although the use of protected sodium butyrate did not modify the overall richness of microbiota composition of these slaughter pigs, it may have increased specific taxa associated with better gut health parameters.
Bernad-Roche M, Bellés A, Grasa L, Casanova-Higes A, Mainar-Jaime RC. Effects of dietary supplementation with protected sodium butyrate on gut microbiota in growing-finishing pigs. Animals. 2021; 11(7): 2137. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11072137
