Benefits of tributyrin on growth performance, gastrointestinal tract development, ruminal bacteria and volatile fatty acid formation of weaned Small-Tailed Han lambs

This study aimed to determine the effects of tributyrin on growth performance, gastrointestinal tract development, ruminal bacteria and volatile fatty acid (VFA) formation. Thirty healthy weaned Small-Tailed Han female lambs at 3 months old with BW 27.5 ± 4.1 kg (mean ± SD) were randomly assigned to five groups of six lambs each, and each group received tributyrin at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 and 4.0 g/kg in feed. Weights were measured before the start and end of the study. After 15 d adaptation, DMI, feed, faeces and urine were recorded every week. Lambs were sacrificed at d 75. Compared to lambs fed no tributyrin, lambs fed 4.0 g/kg tributyrin had higher average daily BW gain (P = 0.04) and DMI (P < 0.01). Tributyrin reduced nitrogen (P < 0.01), Ca (P < 0.01) and P (P < 0.01) losses derived from faeces and urine. The mostly important, tributyrin increased dorsal sac thickness (P < 0.01), papillae length (P = 0.04) and width (P < 0.01), ventral sac papillae length (P < 0.01) and width (P < 0.01), caudodorsal blind sac thickness (P = 0.02), papillae length (P < 0.01) and width (P < 0.01). Furthermore, tributyrin increased thicknesses of both the duodenum (P < 0.01) and ileum (P = 0.01), and villus heights of the duodenum (P = 0.01), ileum (P < 0.01), jejunum (P < 0.01) and caecum (P = 0.02), but tributyrin decreased duodenal (P < 0.01) and caecal crypt depths (P < 0.01). Tributyrin reduced rumen pH (P < 0.01) while promoting total VFA concentration (P < 0.01). Tributyrin improved the structure of rumen bacteria by enhancing Clostridium (P = 0.04), Butyrivibrio (P < 0.01), Streptococcus (P = 0.04), Prevotella (P = 0.04), Ruminobacter (P = 0.02) and Fibrobacter (P = 0.03). In conclusion, tributyrin could stimulate gastrointestinal tract development by enhancing colonization of rumen VFA-producing bacteria, and dietary supplementation of tributyrin at 4.0 g/kg of DM was recommended for the weaned lambs.