Sodium butyrate administration improves intestinal development of suckling lambs

Abstract This study was conducted to investigate the effects of sodium butyrate supplementation on the growth performance, intestinal barrier functions and intestinal bacterial communities in sucking lambs. Forty lambs of seven-day-old, with an average body weight of 4.46 ± 0.45 kg, were allocated into the control (CON) or sodium butyrate (SB) group, with each group having 5 replicate pens (n = 5). Lambs were orally administered sodium butyrate at 1.8 ml/kg body weight (BW) in the SB group or the same volume of saline in the CON group. Treatments were administrated from 7 to 35 d of age, when one lamb from each replicate was slaughtered to obtain intestinal tissues and contents. The results showed that supplementation with sodium butyrate tended to increase the BW (P = 0.079) and the starter intake (P = 0.089) of lambs at 35 d of age. The average daily gain of lambs in the SB group were significantly greater than that in the CON group (P < 0.05). The villus height of jejunum in the SB group was markedly higher (P < 0.05) than that in the CON group. In ileum, lambs in the SB group had lower (P < 0.05) crypt depth and greater (P < 0.05) villus to crypt ratio than those in the CON group. Compared with the CON group, the mRNA and protein expressions of Claudin-1 and Occludin were increased (P < 0.05) in the SB group. Supplementation with sodium butyrate decreased the relative abundances of pathogenic bacteria, including Clostridia_UCG-014 (P = 0.094) and Romboutsia (P < 0.05), which were negatively associated with the intestinal barrier function genes (P < 0.05). The relative abundance of Succiniclasticum (P < 0.05) was higher in the SB group, and it was positively correlated with the ratio of villi height to crypt depth in the jejunum (P < 0.05). Compared with the CON group, the function “Metabolism of Cofactors and Vitamins” was increased in the SB group lambs (P < 0.05). In conclusion, sodium butyrate orally administration during suckling period could improve the small intestine development and growth performance of lambs by inhibiting the harmful bacteria (Clostridia_UCG-014, Romboutsia) colonization, and enhancing intestinal barrier functions.