Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition最新文献

{"title":"Similarities Between the Lipid Profiles of Skin and Liver of European Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) Fed Diets With Different Lipid Content.","authors":"Daniel González-Silvera, Cristóbal Espinosa-Ruiz, M Ángeles Esteban","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70095","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70095","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The fatty acid composition of fish is influenced by species, age, diet, and tissues, which respond differently to dietary lipids. This study examined how two commercial diets with contrasting polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) profiles, affecting eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), alter the fatty acid composition in European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) tissues and tested whether skin or mucus sampling can indicate hepatic lipid status. Twenty-four sea bass were reared under controlled conditions and fed Optima Plus T3 (diet A) or Protect D4 (diet B) for 30 days, and six fish were sampled at baseline. After feeding, skin mucus, skin, flesh, and liver were collected, lipids were extracted, and fatty acid methyl esters were quantified by gas chromatography. ANOVA and multivariate analyses were used to assess diet- and tissue-dependent shifts. Despite isoenergetic diets and no growth differences, the tissue lipid profiles changed significantly, indicating rapid dietary imprinting. Diet B reduced total n-3 PUFA levels in skin mucus, whereas livers from fish fed diet B showed higher total PUFA, n-6 PUFA, and monounsaturated fatty acid levels than those fed diet A, with altered arachidonic (ARA)/EPA and n-3/n-6 ratios in the liver and mucus. The key fatty acids driving these differences included docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) in the mucus and linoleic and oleic acids in the liver. Muscle and skin showed fewer class-level changes but specific shifts (e.g., EPA and α-linolenic acid were higher with diet A; ARA and linoleic acids were higher with diet B). Multivariate ordination revealed close clustering and low dissimilarity between the liver and skin, with linoleic acid as the principal contributor. These findings support the use of small skin biopsies to infer hepatic lipid profile changes, offering a practical tool for monitoring liver conditions and diet-related pathologies in aquaculture.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148653894","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluating the In Vitro Digestibility of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens L.) Larvae as Potential Feed Ingredient in Dairy Cattle Silage-Based Diets: A Focus on Proteins.","authors":"Maria Giulia Bonomini, Marica Simoni, Matteo Profeti, Federico Righi, Augusta Caligiani","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70098","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70098","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Dietary protein has a substantial economic impact on cattle feed, and it is also a critical component for animal growth and productivity. Several environmental issues related to soybeans have led to an increased interest in novel protein sources, such as insects. However, research on the inclusion of insects in bovine diets is limited, also due to the current European legislation on the topic. For this reason, this study aimed at investigating the use of black soldier fly (BSF) larvae as a soybean replacer in dairy cattle diet. Three iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic diets for lactating dairy cattle were formulated, including (i) soybean, (ii) a commercial protein-rich feedstuff and (iii) BSF larvae as a main protein source. After an in vitro bovine digestion, dry matter digestibility (DMD) and crude protein digestibility (CPD), were determined. Additionally, for the first time to our knowledge, individual amino acids and chitin digestibility, degree of hydrolysis (DH%), molecular weight distribution of proteins via SDS-PAGE gel electrophoresis and HR-MS analysis of peptides released after digestion were also assessed. The results showed that the formulated diets did not differ in terms of DMD, CPD, amino acid solubilization and DH%, highlighting the potential of replacing soybean meal with insects without negatively affecting these parameters. In addition, 50% of chitin was solubilized at the end of the intestinal phase, both in individually digested BSF larvae and in the diet formulated with BSF larvae, meaning that chitinolytic microorganisms were present in the rumen and that chitin represents a potential source of carbon and nitrogen for ruminants.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148620134","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Guanidinoacetic Acid Improves Growth Performance and Gut Health of Broilers Fed Metabolizable Energy-Reduced Diets.","authors":"Necmettin Ceylan, Ali Anıl Çenesiz, İsmail Yavaş, Sait Koca, Vivienne Inhuber","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70097","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1111/jpn.70097","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of guanidinoacetic acid (GAA) supplementation to diets with different energy levels on growth performance, carcass traits, and gut health status in broiler chickens. A total of 9500 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers (equal numbers of males and females) were allocated to 1 of 5 dietary treatments (10 replicate pens per treatment; 190 broilers per pen) for 41 days. Experimental diets included a positive control (PC) with standard metabolizable energy (ME); negative controls with PC -50 kcal/kg ME (NC1) or -75 kcal/kg ME (NC2); and NC1 and NC2 supplemented with 0.06% GAA. Reducing dietary ME by both 50 and 75 kcal/kg significantly increased feed conversion ratio (FCR) during the finisher phase (25-41 days) and across the entire growth period (0-41 days) (p < 0.05). GAA supplementation in the low-energy diets significantly decreased FCR (p < 0.05), but did not differ significantly from the PC group (p > 0.05) during the respective periods. Dietary treatments had no significant effects on carcass yield, cut yields and abdominal fat percentage (p > 0.05). The relative liver weight increased significantly in all treatment groups compared to the positive control group (p < 0.05). Compared with the PC diet, the villus surface area was significantly reduced in both the NC1 and NC2 diets, while only the NC2 diet resulted in a significant decrease in the number of goblet cells (p < 0.05). GAA supplementation to NC2 significantly improved the villus height-to-crypt depth ratio, villus surface area and goblet cell number in the jejunum (p < 0.05). Lactobacillus and coliform counts were not affected by dietary treatments (p > 0.05), whereas total aerobic counts increased significantly (p < 0.05) in the NC2 + GAA group compared with NC1. Reducing dietary energy by 50 kcal/kg led to a significant decrease in short-chain fatty acid levels, whereas GAA supplementation increased those levels in both low-energy diets (p < 0.05). Conversely, branched-chain fatty acid concentrations were not significantly affected by dietary treatments (p > 0.05). The results indicate that dietary energy reduction adversely affected growth performance and gut health, whereas GAA supplementation compensated for these effects. Furthermore, the inclusion of 0.06% GAA can spare up to 75 kcal ME/kg in broiler diets, while maintaining growth performance and, to some extent, improving gut health.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148591409","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Carryover of Aflatoxin From Dairy Feed to Milk: A Systematic Review (1 January 2004-31 December 2024).","authors":"Queenta Ngum Nji, Richard Temitope Fagbohun, Oluwafemi Ayodeji Adebo, Patrick Berka Njobeh","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70092","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jpn.70092","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aflatoxins, toxic metabolites produced by Aspergillus species, are frequently reported contaminants of dairy cattle feed worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions where climatic conditions favor fungal growth, and they can be transferred into milk and dairy products. Their presence poses major public health risks, including liver cancer and growth impairment, among others. Understanding the extent of carryover from feed to milk is critical for food safety and regulatory control. A systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence on aflatoxin carryover in dairy systems over the past two decades. Literature searches were performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase. Studies investigating aflatoxin levels in dairy feed and milk, as well as carryover rates, were included. Data extraction focused on contamination levels, feed treatment efficiency and carryover rates of aflatoxins as well as mitigation measures. Twenty-seven eligible studies were identified. Aflatoxin B₁ concentrations in dairy feed ranged from undetectable to 598 µg/kg. In milk, AFM₁ levels reached up to 22.2 µg/kg, with reported carryover rates as high as 15%. The findings highlight variability in contamination across regions and production systems. This review underscores the continuing risk of aflatoxin in dairy products, identifies knowledge gaps and emerging threats, and emphasizes the need for improved interventions to safeguard food safety and public health.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148497600","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intestinal Alkaline Phosphatase Alleviates Ruminal Acidosis in Dairy Cows Fed High-Concentrate Diets Improves Their Overall Health","authors":"Yang Zhang,&nbsp;Xiaoqian Zhang,&nbsp;Shuaidong Wang,&nbsp;Zekang Xu,&nbsp;Quan Wei,&nbsp;Song Hua","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70073","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jpn.70073","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>The pursuit of high milk yields via high-concentrate diets risks ruminal acidosis and microbial dysbiosis, triggering lipopolysaccharide (LPS) release, subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) incidence, and substantial economic losses. This study evaluated the efficacy of the dietary intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) against high-concentrate feeding effects, hypothesizing it prevents SARA by degrading LPS, modulating microbiota, stabilizing ruminal pH, and improving gut health. Thirty-six lactating cows were stratified into three groups (<i>n</i> = 12): a high-concentrate diet group (HC, 5:5 concentrate:forage), an HC group supplemented with IAP (HC + IAP), and a low-concentrate control group (LC, 3:7). Key biomarkers such as ruminal pH, ruminal and fecal LPS, inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-1β), and acute-phase proteins (SAA, LBP)--were monitored at 30-day intervals from calving through lactation. SARA status was defined by ruminal pH: &lt; 5.6 (SARA), 5.6–5.8 (at-risk), and ≥ 5.8 (healthy). Fecal microbiome analysis was conducted on HC and HC + IAP cows at 90 days in milk (DIM). The HC group exhibited a high incidence of SARA, peaking between 90 and 120 DIM. In stark contrast, dietary supplementation with IAP (0.5 kg per 1000 kg of concentrate feed) effectively stabilized ruminal fluid pH, thereby completely preventing the incidence of SARA throughout the entire lactation period. This prophylactic effect was associated with significantly reduced systemic concentrations of SAA, LBP, IL-6, and IL-1β. Moreover, IAP treatment markedly enhanced gut microbial diversity and the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria. Therefore, IAP acted primarily in the rumen to detoxify LPS, thereby stabilizing pH and preventing the occurrence of SARA, while also entering the intestine to regulate the structure of gut microbiota, thereby maintaining the health of dairy cows under high-concentrate feeding conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":"110 4","pages":"595-605"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147963836","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ruminal Magnesium Transport Revisited: Apparent Absorption and Estimate of Requirement","authors":"H. Martens","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70055","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jpn.70055","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The pathogenesis of hypomagnesemia is caused in most cases by impaired magnesium (Mg) absorption and not by an insufficient Mg intake. Recent improved knowledge about the site and mechanism of ruminal Mg absorption allows studies of modulating factors regarding Mg absorption in vitro, in vivo, with the washed-rumen technique, and with classical balance studies. The obtained data show: a depressive effect of K excess and Na deficiency, transient inhibition by high ammonia concentration and stimulation by CO₂ and short-chain fatty acids, the impact of pH and solubility of Mg in the rumen fluid and the influence of the rumen volume and the outflow on Mg absorption. Current knowledge allows a reliable prediction of apparent Mg absorption with increasing K intake and the recommendation of an adequate Mg intake for dairy cows. Furthermore, the analysis of data from studies with dairy cows shows that the content of nitrogen, Na (≥ requirement) or fat in the diet has no effect on Mg absorption. However, hypomagnesemia is still a problem in grazing ruminants without sufficient supplementation.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":"110 4","pages":"453-462"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jpn.70055","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147503685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Comprehensive Analysis of miRNAs, mRNAs, and lncRNAs in Intestines of Breast- and Formula-Fed Pigs","authors":"Yuzhi Huang,&nbsp;Lanmeng Xu,&nbsp;Yulu Huang,&nbsp;Qing Yan,&nbsp;Hang He,&nbsp;Jie Zhang","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70072","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jpn.70072","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Breast-fed (BF) and formula-fed (FF) pigs have different intestinal morphologies and physiologies. However, how molecular expression affects intestinal morphology is imperfectly known. We compare expression profiles and functions of miRNA, mRNA, and lncRNA in the intestines of 210-<span>d</span>-old BF and FF pigs. Jejunum and duodenum villus height and mucosal thickness were significantly higher in BF pigs than FF pigs (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). Of 88 identified differentially expressed (DE) miRNAs in BF pigs, 39 were up- and 49 were down-regulated; of 117 lncRNAs, 53 were up- and 64 were down-regulated; and of 387 mRNAs, 242 were up- and 145 were down-regulated. GO and KEGG analysis revealed overlapping DE mRNA corresponding genes and target genes of DE miRNA and lncRNA to be associated with pathways involved in cold-induced thermogenesis, digestion, and xenobiotics metabolism. Gene families (e.g., <i>UGT</i>, <i>ABC</i>, <i>AHCY</i> and <i>SLC</i>) potentially involved in intestinal morphological development are identified. Further analysis indicates that the <i>CYP1A1</i>-<i>LOC100515741</i>/<i>LOC100622246</i>/<i>LOC100739163</i> and <i>AHCYL2-</i>miR-145-3p network may regulate the development of intestinal morphology in pigs. Collectively, these results improve our understanding of the possible long-term health effects of specific alterable early-life risk factors and exposures.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":"110 4","pages":"582-594"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147963671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of Milk De Novo Fatty Acid Proportion of the First Week Postpartum With Productivity and Plasma IGF-1 and GLP-1 Concentrations in Dairy Cows","authors":"Rika Fukumori,&nbsp;Jun Shoji,&nbsp;Satoshi Gondaira,&nbsp;Shin Oikawa","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70067","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jpn.70067","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Immediate postpartum analysis of milk fatty acid (FA) profiles using Fourier transform infra-red spectrometry (FTIR) may be a non-invasive and simple analytical tool for predicting milk production, health problems and reproductive performance. This study evaluated the relationship between milk de novo fatty acid (FA) proportions at the 1st week postpartum and the pre-and postcalving blood metabolic markers, milk yield, health and reproduction performance after calving. Sixty-five Holstein cows were assessed, and blood samples were collected 3 and 1 weeks before the predicted calving date, on the calving day, and Weeks 1 to 12 of lactation. Milk samples were collected from each cow, and using the 25th and 75th percentiles of milk de novo FA proportion in the 1st week postpartum, the cows were classified into high (HD), medium (MD), and low (LD) de novo groups. The milk de novo FA proportions were ≤ 21.2, 21.3–28.4 and ≥ 28.5 g/100 g FA for the LD, MD and HD groups, respectively. The dystocia score was higher in the LD group than in the HD group; however, no differences were observed between the groups for milk yield, prevalence of postpartum disease, or removal. For reproductive performance, fewer cows were pregnant within 150 days in the LD group compared to those in the HD and MD groups. The LD cows showed higher serum concentrations of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) and β-hydroxy butyrate (BHBA) and exhibited lower concentrations of glucose, Mg, and glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 than the HD cows after calving. The LD cows showed a decrease in plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) concentration from 1 week before the predicted calving date and were lower than that of the HD cows throughout lactation. These results indicate that milk de novo FA during the first postpartum stage is a noninvasive tool that can be used as an indicator of a transition dairy cow's nutritional status. Furthermore, IGF-1 may be an earlier predictor than NEFA or BHBA, and GLP-1 could also be a useful and novel marker.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":"110 4","pages":"474-481"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147716752","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Dietary Omega-3 Fatty Acids Alter Hepatic Lipid Oxidation and Oxidative Stress Markers in Postpartum Dairy Cows","authors":"Gino Storani,&nbsp;Pablo Matías Roskopf,&nbsp;Emmanuel Angeli,&nbsp;Lucas Emanuel Ribas,&nbsp;Hugo Héctor Ortega,&nbsp;Eloy Eduardo Salado,&nbsp;Gustavo Juan Hein","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70062","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jpn.70062","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Omega-3 (ω−3) polyunsaturated fatty acids are well recognized for their potential to influence metabolic adaptation in dairy cows during the transition period. This study evaluated the effects of calcium salts enriched with ω−3 fatty acids, including α-linolenic acid and long-chain ω−3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, on hepatic lipid metabolism-related proteins, oxidative stress biomarkers, and liver function in postpartum dairy cows. Prior to calving, cows received a total mixed ration supplemented with 0.400 kg dry matter (DM)/day of calcium salts derived from a flaxseed oil–fish oil mixture (60:40). After calving, cows were fed a partial mixed ration and received 0.650 kg DM/day of the same supplement mixed with a commercial concentrate during milking. Control cows received isoenergetic diets in which calcium salts were replaced with ground corn. Blood, urine, and liver samples were collected at −21 days relative to calving (used as a baseline covariate) and at +7, and +21 (±3) days postpartum, when treatment effects were evaluated. No differences were observed between treatments in conventional biochemical markers of liver function or hepatic triacylglycerol concentration. Plasma malondialdehyde concentrations were higher in ω−3-supplemented cows, whereas other oxidative stress parameters were not affected. Supplementation with ω−3 fatty acids was associated with changes in the abundance of selected hepatic proteins involved in fatty acid metabolism, including increased acyl-CoA oxidase 1 and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA synthase and reduced diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 abundance, whereas carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha abundance were not affected. These findings indicate that ω−3-enriched calcium salts induce molecular adjustments in hepatic lipid metabolism during early lactation without evidence of adverse effects on liver function.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":"110 4","pages":"523-533"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147772223","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Synergistic Benefits of Butyric Acid and Resistant Potato Starch on Growth and Gut Health in Weaned Pigs","authors":"Kathryn Ruth Connolly,&nbsp;Torres Sweeney,&nbsp;John V. O'Doherty","doi":"10.1111/jpn.70054","DOIUrl":"10.1111/jpn.70054","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Newly-weaned piglets face challenges such as reduced feed intake, impaired gut function, and susceptibility to post-weaning diarrhoea, increasing the need for dietary strategies that support gut health and growth. This study investigated the effects of dietary supplementation with butyric acid (BA), resistant potato starch (PS), and their combination on faecal markers of intestinal health and growth performance in weaned piglets. It was hypothesised that BA and PS would exert beneficial effects, and that their co-supplementation would yield complementary effects on gut function and growth. In a 2 × 2 factorial design, 96 piglets (28 days of age) were assigned to one of four treatments: (1) control, (2) control +15 g/kg BA, (3) control + 10 g/kg PS, or (4) control +15 g/kg BA and 10 g/kg PS (combination). Growth performance was assessed over 35 days, and faecal samples were collected on Day 8 post-weaning for microbiota and volatile fatty acid profiling. All supplemented diets improved faecal scores compared to the control (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), with the combination diet producing the highest average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG), and final body weight (BW) among treatments, significantly higher than the BA-only and PS-only diets (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), and numerically superior over the control (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.10). Moreover, the combination diet had the highest faecal <i>Faecalibacterium</i> abundance of all treatments, significantly higher than the BA-only diet (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05) and numerically superior to the control and PS-only diet (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.10). The BA-only diet increased faecal <i>Ruminococcaceae</i> and reduced <i>Enterobacteriaceae</i> abundance, but reduced ADG and BW (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05), and tended to reduce ADFI (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.10). The PS-only diet increased faecal <i>Prevotella</i> and butyrate levels, and reduced <i>Proteobacteria</i> and isobutyrate levels but reduced ADFI (<i>p</i> &lt; 0.05). While BA and PS individually improved faecal microbial and metabolic markers without enhancing growth, their combined supplementation improved both gut health and growth, suggesting a synergistic interaction and a promising nutritional strategy to mitigate the negative effects of weaning.</p>","PeriodicalId":14942,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition","volume":"110 4","pages":"429-439"},"PeriodicalIF":2.8,"publicationDate":"2026-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/jpn.70054","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147344200","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}