title: Comparative effect of orally administered sodium butyrate before or after weaning on growth and several indices of gastrointestinal biology of piglets.
abstract: Sodium butyrate (SB) provided orally favours body growth and maturation of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) in milk-fed pigs. In weaned pigs, conflicting results have been obtained. Therefore, we hypothesised that the effects of SB (3 g/kg DM intake) depend on the period (before v. after weaning) of its oral administration. From the age of 5 d, thirty-two pigs, blocked in quadruplicates within litters, were assigned to one of four treatments: no SB (control), SB before (for 24 d), or after (for 11-12 d) weaning and SB before and after weaning (for 35-36 d). Growth performance, feed intake and various end-point indices of GIT anatomy and physiology were investigated at slaughter. The pigs supplemented with SB before weaning grew faster after weaning than the controls (P < 0.05). The feed intake was higher in pigs supplemented with SB before or after weaning (P < 0.05). SB provided before weaning improved post-weaning faecal digestibility (P < 0.05) while SB after weaning decreased ileal and faecal digestibilities (P < 0.05). Gastric digesta retention was higher when SB was provided before weaning (P < 0.05). Post-weaning administration of SB decreased the activity of three pancreatic enzymes and five intestinal enzymes (P < 0.05). IL-18 gene expression tended to be lower in the mid-jejunum in SB-supplemented pigs. The small-intestinal mucosa was thinner and jejunal villous height lower in all SB groups (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the pre-weaning SB supplementation was the most efficient to stimulate body growth and feed intake after weaning, by reducing gastric emptying and intestinal mucosa weight and by increasing feed digestibility.
authors.affiliation: INRA, UMR 1079, Systèmes d'Elevage, Nutrition Animale et Humaine, Domaine de la Prise, Rennes, France. maud.legall@rennes.inra.fr
authors.forename: Maud
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Le Gall
authors.forename: Mélanie
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallois
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sève
authors.forename: Isabelle
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Louveau
authors.forename: Jens J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Holst
authors.forename: Isabelle P
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Oswald
authors.forename: Jean-Paul
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Lallès
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Guilloteau
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D002087:Butyrates / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D016207:Cytokines / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004063:Digestion / Q000187:drug effects; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000187:drug effects*; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000187:drug effects; D020869:Gene Expression Profiling; D006128:Growth / Q000187:drug effects*; D007421:Intestine, Small / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010179:Pancreas / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D013270:Stomach / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects; D034421:Sus scrofa / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D014886:Weaning
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D016207:Cytokines