367 Combinational use of sodium butyrate and phytogenics on intestinal health of nursery pigs

Abstract

The effects of encapsulated sodium butyrate (SB), phytogenics (PH), or a combination were studied on intestinal health of nursery pigs. Phytogenics were blends of dry herbs and essential oil components. Forty-eight weaned pigs (21-d-old; 6.9 ± 0.6 kg BW) were individually housed, blocked by initial BW and sex, allotted to 4 dietary treatments (n = 12) in a RCBD, and fed for 33-d (P1: 0–7; P2: 7–19; and P3: 19–33). Treatments were arranged by 2 factors: SB (P1: 0.2% and P2: 0.1%) and PH (P3: 0.033%). Diets were formulated to meet or exceed NRC (2012) nutrient requirements and pigs were fed ad libitum. For each phase, ADG, ADFI, and G:F were measured. Fecal scores were assessed during d 3–19 and d 26–33. Blood samples were drawn in P2 and P3 to measure tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), IL-6, and immunoglobulin G (IgG). Four pigs at P2 and 8 pigs in P3 from each treatment were euthanized to collect jejunal tissue, jejunal mucosa, and ileal digesta to measure gut histology, TNF-α, IL-6, myeloperoxidase (MPO), malondialdehyde (MDA), and protein carbonyl. Data were analyzed using PROC MIXED of SAS. Fixed effects were treatments and random effects were blocks. In P2 and P1-2, SB decreased (P < 0.05) ADFI whereas no effect on ADG and G:F. In P2, SB tended to decrease (P = 0.063) villus height to crypt depth ratio (VH:CD) whereas increased (P < 0.05) enterocyte proliferation in P3. In P3 and overall, PH increased (P < 0.05) G:F. No changes were found in TNF-α, IL-6, MPO, MDA, IgG, and protein carbonyl. Conclusively, SB and a combinational use of SB and PH showed minimal effects on growth performance and gut health when added to the diets of nursery pigs. However, PH supplementation increased feed efficiency of nursery pigs during 19–33 d post-weaning.