Effect of Low Protein Diets Supplemented with Sodium Butyrate, Medium-Chain Fatty Acids, or n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids on the Growth Performance, Immune Function, and Microbiome of Weaned Piglets

Abstract

This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-protein (LP) diets supplemented with sodium butyrate (SB), medium-chain fatty acids (MCT), or n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) on the growth performance, immune function, and the microbiome of weaned piglets. A total of 120 healthy weaned piglets ((Landrace × Large White × Duroc); 7.93 ± 0.7 kg initial body weight), were randomly divided into five groups. Each group consisted of six replications with four piglets per replication. Dietary treatments included control diet (CON); LP diet (LP); LP + 0.2% SB diet (LP + SB); LP + 0.2% MCT diet (LP + MCT); and LP + PUFA diet (LP + PUFA). The experimental period lasted for 4 weeks. Compared with the CON diet, LP, LP + SB, LP + MCT, and LP + PUFA diets decreased the final weight and average daily gain (ADG) of piglets (p p p IKKa) mRNA expression in the colonic mucosa compared with those in the CON and LP groups (p TLR4 in the colonic mucosa of piglets in the LP + SB, LP + MCT, and LP + PUFA groups was decreased when compared with the CON and LP groups (p Nrf2) in the colonic mucosa of piglets compared with CON, LP, and LP + SB diets (p Erysipelotrichaceae in the colonic microbiome of piglets in the LP group was higher than that in the other four groups (p TLR4 and IKKa in the colonic epithelium, whereas it reduced the abundance of Erysipelotrichaceae in the colon of piglets.

Keywords

• low-protein
• sodium butyrate
• medium chain fatty acids
• polyunsaturated fatty acids
• weaned piglets