The road to post-weaning intestinal integrity

The challenge

Improving the Intestinal integrity is crucial for piglets after weaning, as the small intestine is the main site of nutrient absorption and a primary barrier against pathogens (Tang et al., 2022). Weaning imposes stress that often has a negative impact to the gut. This stress leads to intestinal mucosal injury which impairs digestion and weakens the gut barrier (Tang et al., 2022). As a result, newly weaned piglets commonly show reduced feed intake, slower growth, and increased incidence of post-weaning diarrhea (Louw, 2018).

Fortunately, the piglet’s gut begins to recover once the initial stress passes. While intestinal barrier function is initially compromised, it typically improves and stabilizes by about two weeks post-weaning (Tang et al., 2022). As piglets adapt to their new diet and environment, their intestinal morphology and barrier function gradually return to normal, restoring effective nutrient absorption and disease resistance.

It is key to support this recovery and growth and provide the piglet with the tools needed for a maintained gut integrity throughout this period.

A well trusted solution to support the post-weaning intestinal integrity are butyrates. Butyrate stimulates epithelial cell proliferation, improves villus height, and supports gut barrier function.

ButiPEARL™ , an encapsulated source of calcium butyrate, consistently supports piglets during the challenging post‑weaning period by improving intestinal integrity, enhancing nutrient absorption, and driving superior growth performance. Across multiple trials, encapsulated calcium butyrate supplementation markedly strengthened gut structure by supporting villus growth, tight‑junction integrity, and reducing inflammation, allowing piglets to better cope with weaning‑related stress and digestive immaturity.

A study carried out to assess the effect of an encapsulated calcium butyrate at different inclusion levels (1.0 and 1.5 kg/ton) showed improved zootechnical outcomes because of the improved intestinal integrity. An improvement in the average daily gain was observed when the piglets were supplemented with the encapsulated calcium butyrate with the addition of 1 and 1.5 kg of encapsulated calcium butyrate resulting in an improvement of 8 g/day and 40 g/day compared to the control (Control group) had an average daily gain of 522 g/day from weaning to the end of the nursery stage. The encapsulated calcium butyrate supplemented groups also achieved the best feed conversion ratio (1.35 vs. 1.51 in control). Economic evaluation also demonstrated a favorable return on investment , indicating clear value for producers.

These results highlight the relevance of butyrate supplementation during the critical adaptation phase after weaning, helping piglets maintain feed intake, improve feed efficiency, and support healthier early growth—key elements for long‑term performance.

Collectively, these results show that encapsulated calcium butyrate supports mucosal recovery, reduces inflammatory stress, and improves performance outcomes, ultimately enabling piglets to transition more smoothly through the critical post‑weaning phase.