Use of pronutrients (plant-based molecules) alone and combined with butyrate and probiotics to improve performance in broilers though improving gut health

Pronutrients are active molecules from plant extracts that optimize the functioning of the organs. Intestinal conditioners are the ones that target the enterocytes and improve the status of the gut mucosa to improve performance and gut health. Butyrate is another solution intended to improve performance in poultry production. A trial was conducted to study the effects of intestinal conditioner pronutrients (PRO), alone or in combination with butyrate, on performance. Three hundred twenty male broilers (Vencobb 430) were distributed in 4 treatments with 8 replicates each. The litter was 50% reused and served as a moderate challenge. Treatments were T1 without growth promoters; T2 with pronutrients; T3 with calcium butyrate (CaBu); and T4 with pronutrients and CaBu. Pronutrients were included at 500 g/t and CaBu at 300 g/t. Performance parameters were evaluated weekly and carcass yield at the end of the trial. Data were statistically analyzed with multi-variate ANOVA version 26.0 and diets used as the grouping factor. P-values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Values were compared using Tukey’s test. Results showed that weight was significantly different at the end of the trial, only. T4 obtained the best result (2335.1 g) and was significantly different from T3, which obtained the lowest weight (2232.6 g). No differences were observed between the other groups. No significant differences were observed in feed intake. Feed conversion rate was improved in all supplemented groups compared with T1 (P < 0.05). This improvement was 4.8% in T2, 1.3% in T3, and 2.7% in T4. No significant differences were observed in livability and efficiency index, even though they were numerically higher in T2 and T3 compared with T1. Carcass yield was significantly improved in T3 and numerically improved in T2 compared with the control (T1). In conclusion, pronutrients improved productive performance when used alone and in combination with butyrate and were more effective than butyrate alone. They can be combined with butyrate without any negative consequence.

Key Words: natural additive, pronutrient, chicken, butyrate, gut health.

Presented at the 9th Symposium on Gut Health in Production of Food Animals, St. Louis, USA, 2021. For information on the next edition, click here.