Comparative effects of dietary sodium butyrate and tributyrin on broiler chickens' performance, gene expression, intestinal histomorphometry, blood indices, and litter.

Controlled dietary trial in broiler chickens

“In this study, 1,000 Arbor Acres broiler chicks were assigned to four dietary treatments (250 birds each; six replicates of 40–42 birds): a control basal diet (CON), or the same diet supplemented with either 500 g/ton tributyrin (40%) + copper + essential oils (TB-500), 300 g/ton di- and tri-butyrin (60%) (TB-300), or 500 g/ton coated sodium butyrate (40%) (SB-500).”

Arbor Acres broiler chicks

“A total of 1,000 day-old broiler chicks (Arber-Acres) were purchased from a commercial hatchery, with an average initial weight of 47 g.”

1,000 birds

“A total of 1,000 day-old broiler chicks (Arber-Acres) were purchased from a commercial hatchery, with an average initial weight of 47 g.”

35 days

“The current experiment was conducted at the Center of Animal and Poultry Research, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt, and lasted for 35 days.”

TB-300 supplementation improved body weight, feed conversion ratio, and European Production Efficiency Factor.

“TB-300 improved body weight (+ 4.6%, P = 0.014), FCR (− 5.2%, P = 0.032), and European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) (+ 14.9%, P = 0.006).”

SB-500 supplementation reduced litter Clostridia and aerobic bacteria counts.

“SB-500 significantly reduced litter Clostridia (P < 0.0001) and aerobic bacteria (P = 0.026) counts, while all butyrate treatments lowered caecal aerobic bacterial levels (P = 0.041).”