Dietary tributyrin attenuates intestinal damage induced by dextran sulfate sodium and modulates growth performance in broilers.

Enteric damage compromises intestinal integrity and may impair growth performance in broiler chickens. Dietary tributyrin has emerged as a promising nutritional strategy to preserve gut health. The present study evaluated the effects of tributyrin supplementation in mitigating DSS-induced intestinal damage in broilers. A total of 1200 male broilers were distributed in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments, 12 replicates, and 20 birds each. The treatments were: no challenge and basal diet (PC); challenge and basal diet (NC); NC + 1000 g/t of tributyrin A (TBA0.1); NC + 500 g/t of tributyrin A (TBA0.05) and NC + 500 g/t of tributyrin B (TBB0.05). Intestinal damage was induced by oral gavage of a 3.5% DSS solution between 8 and 12 and 21-25 days of age of the birds. Body weight (BW), body weight gain (BWG), average feed intake (AFI) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were measured at d 8, 13, 21, 26 and 40. Samples from the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, and cecum were collected on days 13, 21 and 26 for histological and morphometric analyses, and for determination of digesta pH. Cecal contents were collected to measure short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations at d 26 and 40. Variables with a normal distribution were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Student-Newman-Keuls (SNK) test, while non-normal variables were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Dunn tests (P < 0.05). Treatments with tributyrin A showed better results for growth performance (P < 0.05) from 1 to 8 days and from 1 to 26 days, in addition to an increase in enterocyte proliferation and epithelial thickness (P < 0.05). Treatment with TBA0.1 promoted better responses in intestinal morphometry (P < 0.05) in all periods evaluated. The greatest pH differences were observed (P < 0.05) in the ileum. The concentration of SCFA was not affected (P > 0.05). Supplementation with 0.1% tributyrin proved to be an effective nutritional strategy for improving intestinal morphology and productive performance in broiler chickens.