Supplementation of butyric and medium-chain fatty acids monoglycerides in diets without growth promoters: effects on performance and intestinal health status in nursery pigs

• Ano de defesa: 2024
• Autor(a) principal: Abranches, Fernanda Fialho
• Tipo de documento: Dissertação
• Tipo de acesso: Acesso aberto
• Idioma: eng
• Instituição de defesa: Universidade Federal de Viçosa; Zootecnia
• Palavras-chave em Português: Suínos - Nutrição; Intestinos - Doenças; Suínos - Registros de desempenho; Ácidos graxos; CIENCIAS AGRARIAS::ZOOTECNIA::NUTRICAO E ALIMENTACAO ANIMAL
• Link de acesso: https://locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/32969; https://doi.org/10.47328/ufvbbt.2024.597

The use of short-chain and medium-chain fatty acids has demonstrated an important role in intestinal function and physiology during stressful periods such as post-weaning, promoting improvements in intestinal epithelial structure and differentiation, intestinal wall integrity, and immune response to support the performance of piglets fed diets without growth promoters. Therefore, the study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementing butyric and medium-chain fatty acids in diets without growth promoters on zootechnical performance, diarrhea occurrence, blood profile, intestinal morphology and pH, mRNA expression of nutrient transporters, inflammatory markers, antioxidant enzymes, and junction proteins in weaned piglets. Forty piglets aged 21 days (6.70 ± 0.75 kg) were randomly allocated to one of five dietary treatments: (1) CON: control, basal diet; (2) powder acid (PA): CON + 0.75 g of a blend of fatty acids in powder form/kg diet; (3) high powder acid (HPA): CON + 3.00 g of a blend of fatty acids in powder form/kg diet; (4) liquid acid (LA): CON + 0.50 g of a blend of fatty acids in liquid form/kg diet; (5) high liquid acid (HLA): CON + 2.00 g of a blend of fatty acids in liquid form/kg diet. Results were described by comparing the mean of each tested diet vs. CON. Zootechnical performance variables were not affected (P > 0.05) by dietary treatments. The LA diet reduced (P < 0.05) the occurrence of diarrhea while the PA diet tended to reduce (0.05 > P < 0.1). The pH of intestinal contents was reduced (P < 0.05) in piglets receiving PA, HPA, and HLA diets. LA diet increased (P < 0.05) villus height in the duodenum, while others tended to increase (0.05 > P < 0.1). In the jejunum, supplementation of fatty acids in both forms and doses increased (P < 0.05) the proportion of goblet cells. In the ileum, PA diet reduced (P < 0.05) crypt depth and increased (P < 0.05) villus:crypt ratio, and PA, HPA, and HLA diets increased (P < 0.05) goblet cell proportion. Also in the ileum, HPA and LA diets showed a trend towards reduction (0.05 > P < 0.1) in crypt depth and Peyer's patch number. In the jejunum, LA and HLA diets increased (P < 0.05) expression of Occludin and HPA expression of Interleukin 10, respectively. The results suggest that supplementation with a blend of fatty acids in both forms improves intestinal health, modulates pH, intestinal morphology, and local immune response, as an alternative to conventional performance enhancers.Keywords: Butyric Acid; Capric Acid; Caprylic Acid; Short-chain Fatty Acids; Medium-chain Fatty Acids; Organic Acids; Performance; Piglets; Intestinal Health; Monoglyceride.