Efficacy of double-buffered sodium butyrate supplementation on broiler performance, foot pad dermatitis and intestinal histomorphology

Abstract

Uncoated double buffered synthetic sodium butyrate (DBSB) can have an effect on the upper part of the gastrointestinal tract of the broilers and could improve feed digestibility and performance. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation of DBSB on the performance, intestinal histomorphology and foot pad dermatitis of broilers. A total of 324 one-day-old male broiler chicks (Cobb-500) were allocated in floor pens in a completely randomized block design (9 replicates/treatment). Starter (1-7 d), grower (8-21 d) and finisher (22-33 d) diets were used. Control diets (CTRL) were formulated according to requirements used by the local industry. DBSB (54% SB; BUTYLin® 54, Dietaxion) was included on-top from 1 to 33 days at 600 ppm in the treated diets. Birds and feed were weighed weekly individually and by pen, respectively, and the mortality recorded daily (0-33d). At the end of the trial all chickens from each pen were examined for foot pad dermatitis following the classification of the Welfare Quality (W. Quality®, 2009). Also one bird per pen was selected by average weight and euthanized. The duodenum and jejunum were fixed in formalin 10% for histomorphological examination: Villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD). Parametric data were analyzed using ANOVA and non-parametric data through the Chi-square Test. There were significant differences at 33d for live weight (+3.9%) and FCR (- 3.1%, P0.05). Histomorphological traits VH, CD and VH/CD were not different between treatments for duodenum (P>0.05), but for jejunum supplemented broilers obtained a higher VH/CD and a lower CD than the CTRL ones (P<0.05). The addition of DBSB to these diets improved foot pad quality, increasing the number of type B claws and decreasing type C claws compared to CTRL (p≤0.05). In conclusion, the supplementation of 600 ppm of DBSB in broilers diets enables to get a better FCR, live weight, VH/CD of jejunum and foot pad quality compared to birds fed a common field diet, which means that DBSB optimize better the feed and is then a good strategy to save resources and would avoid excess of excretions in the environment.