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Reducing crude protein (CP) in weaned piglet diets can cause enzyme insufficiency, promoting pathogenic microorganisms, proteolytic fermentation, and increased intestinal pH, leading to post-weaning diarrhea. One strategy is supplementing with organic acids (OA) to lower pH, improve protein digestion, and support beneficial bacteria. Another is adding exogenous butyrate to compensate for reduced intestinal production.
Objective: This study aimed to identify the beneficial effects of OA-preserved grain and butyric acid supplementation on gut health and growth in low-CP diets.
Methods: At harvest, grain was divided into two batches: one dried at 65 °C, the other treated with a propionic acid. Ninety-six piglets (28 days old) were assigned to four treatments: dried grain, OA-preserved grain, dried grain + 3% butyric acid, and OA-preserved grain + 3% butyric acid. On day 8, microbial composition, inflammatory markers, volatile fatty acids, and intestinal morphology were assessed.
Results: The OA-preserved grain improved the feed conversion ratio, increased beneficial gut bacteria, elevated caecal butyrate, reduced jejunal CXCL8 expression, and enhanced nutrient digestibility. Butyric acid reduced feed intake, improved nutrient digestibility, decreased colonic Proteobacteria, and increased colonic propionate and butyrate. Combining OA-preserved grain with butyric acid elevated ileal Proteobacteria and Pasteurellaceae.
Conclusion: While organic acid-preserved grain improves feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, and gut microbiota, supplementing butyric acid enhances nutrient digestibility but reduces feed intake, and their combination may disrupt the microbial balance.
Connolly KR, Sweeney T, Ryan MT, Vigors S, O’Doherty JV. Effects of Butyric Acid Supplementation on the Gut Microbiome and Growth Performance of Weanling Pigs Fed a Low-Crude Protein, Propionic Acid-Preserved Grain Diet. Microorganisms. 2025; 13(3): 689. https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms13030689
