The Effects of Sodium Butyrate, Coated Sodium Butyrate, and Butyric Acid Glycerides on Nutrient Digestibility, Gastrointestinal Function, and Fecal Microbiota in Turkeys

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The development of antimicrobial resistance is one the most serious health threats. Therefore, alternatives to antibiotic growth promoters that could be used in animal production are sorely needed. Organic acids, including butyric acid, are among the most promising compounds. Butyrate exhibits antimicrobial activity; it decreases the pH of intestinal digesta and decreases the amounts of pathogenic microbes. In this study, turkeys were fed diets with various forms of butyric acid. The growth performance of turkeys and duodenal villus height increased, whereas the fecal populations of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens decreased when butyric acid glycerides or coated sodium butyrate were added to turkey diets. An increase in protein digestibility and a decrease in the gizzard pH were noted in birds fed diets with butyric acid glycerides. The addition of butyric acid in different forms to diets increased the butyric acid concentration in the cecal digesta of turkeys. The study results suggest that protected forms of butyric acid improve growth performance and protein digestibility and decrease the fecal populations of pathogenic bacteria in turkeys. Therefore, protected forms of butyric acid can be valuable feed additives in turkey nutrition. ABSTRACT: This study aimed to determine the efficacy of sodium butyrate (SB), coated sodium butyrate (CSB), and butyric acid glycerides (BAG) in turkey nutrition based on an analysis of nutrient digestibility, gastrointestinal function, and fecal bacterial populations. A total of 400 1-day-old female BIG 6 turkeys were divided into 4 groups, with 5 replicates per group and 20 birds per replicate, to determine the effects exerted by various forms of butyric acid (SB, CSB, and BAG). The addition of CSB and BAG to turkey diets improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR, p < 0.05), increased the values of the European Efficiency Index (EEI, p < 0.01) and duodenal villus height (p < 0.05), and decreased the fecal populations of Escherichia coli and Clostridium perfringens (p < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with BAG increased protein digestibility (p < 0.05). The analyzed forms of butyrate added to turkey diets increased the butyric acid concentration in the cecal digesta (p < 0.01). The results of this study indicate that protected forms of butyric acid can be valuable feed additives in turkey nutrition.