
Table of Content
- What are Butyrates?
- Mechanism of Butyrates in Animal Nutrition
- Benefits of Sodium Butyrate and Calcium Butyrate in Livestock
- Practical Applications of Butyrates in Feed Formulation
- Combination with Other Feed Additives
- Role of Butyrates in Antibiotic-free Farming
- Future Prospects for Butyrates in Animal Nutrition
- Conclusion
- References
Animal nutrition is the cornerstone of successful livestock farming. The demand and requirement for sustainable and efficient innovative feed ingredients are increasing, leading to better animal health and productivity. Butyrates like Sodium Butyrate and Calcium Butyrate are innovative feed ingredients that have gained attention for their significant role in animal gut health, immune function, and overall performance.
We discuss the benefits, practical implications, and mechanisms of butyrates in animal feed. We will explore how butyrates are game changers for livestock and farming industries.
What are Butyrates?
Butyrates are salts derived from Butyric Acid, produced during the fermentation of dietary fibres by gut microbiota in the colon. The commonly used butyrates are calcium butyrate and sodium butyrate. They are used as feed additives and are available in encapsulated/protected forms, enabling them to pass through the stomach and reach the intestine, where they exert beneficial effects.
Butyric Acid and its derivative salts are essential for gut health. They provide energy to intestinal cells, enhance nutrient absorption, and support microbial balance. Butyrates also help to reduce gut inflammation and improve feed conversion rates, making them essential for animal farming, especially for cattle, poultry, and swine.
Mechanism of Butyrates in Animal Nutrition

Butyrates act on various fronts, such as the GIT tract, impacting gut health and performance in animals through different mechanisms:
1) The Energy Source for Intestinal cells
Butyrates are the primary energy source for the cells in the intestine, promoting repair, growth, and maintenance of the cells required to maintain a functional and healthy gut lining. Hence, they help ensure better nutrient absorption and prevent the translocation of harmful pathogens.
2) Gut Microbiodata Modulation
The gut microbiome plays a vital role in the digestion of feed and the overall health of animals. Butyrates help maintain a balanced gut microbiome by stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria and inhibiting harmful pathogens. This balance is vital for disease prevention and digestion.
3) Anti-inflammatory & Immunomodulatory Effects
Butyrates significantly reduce intestinal inflammation. They inhibit the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines and promote the release of anti-inflammatory molecules. This helps to reduce inflammation and strengthen immunity, enabling animals to cope with stressors and infections.
4) Enhanced Gut Integrity
Butyrates help improve gut barrier function by supporting the production of mucins and junction proteins. They also help prevent toxins and pathogens from entering the blood from the gut, thus reducing the risk of systemic infections and supporting overall animal health.
5) Improved Nutrient Absorption
Butyrates help to optimise the healthy gut, thereby improving nutrient absorption. The healthy gut also promotes the development of villi (finger-like projections) in the intestines that support nutrient absorption, and Butyrates help to enhance surface area for nutrient uptake. It leads to improved feed efficiency, weight gain, and productivity.
Benefits of Sodium Butyrate and Calcium Butyrate in Livestock

The butyrates such as sodium or calcium butyrate provide various benefits across various species.
1) Poultry
Butyrates have been shown to increase gut health, reduce the incidence of diseases like necrotic enteritis, and improve growth performance. Pathogen-caused diseases may devastate a huge poultry population, resulting in poor feed conversion rates and enhanced mortality. Sodium Butyrate helps to inhibit the growth of Clostridium, reducing infections. Moreover, butyrates boost immunity, enabling poultry to withstand environmental stressors.
2) Swine
Gut health is important, especially during weaning (a period marked by digestive disturbances, stress, and infection susceptibility). Butyrates help alleviate challenges by decreasing intestinal inflammation and improving feed conversion ratios. The inclusion of Sodium Butyrate has been shown to enhance daily weight gain and reduce diarrhoea. They also help reduce the reliability of antibiotics.
3) Ruminants
Butyrates lead to better rumen development and improved feed utilisation. Sodium butyrate enhances the production of volatile fatty acids in rumen, resulting in increased energy availability and better performance and growth. It further supports the development of epithelia of the rumen required for efficient nutrient absorption. The supplementation of calcium butyrate leads to improved milk production and quality.
4) Aquaculture
Butyrates are gaining popularity in aquaculture, as gut health and feed efficiency are essential for shrimp and fish growth. Incorporating sodium butyrate has improved fish and shrimp’s growth by boosting immunity, improving gut health, and nutrient utilisation.
Practical Applications of Butyrates in Feed Formulation
The factors that need to be considered while incorporating butyrates in animal feed or formulations are the type of butyrate, dose, and the specific needs of the animals.
1) Protected Butyrates
Protected butyrates are encapsulated and released in the intestines, ensuring they exert their effects on the required body parts. These are preferred in monogastric animals such as swine and poultry.
2) Dose
The butyrate dose depends on species, age, and specific production goals. Dose adjustments can be made based on feed type and production system.
Combination with Other Feed Additives
Butyrates can be combined with other feed additives like probiotics, prebiotics, and organic acids to create a synergistic effect. Combining butyrates with organic acids can increase the antimicrobial effect and reduce livestock’s need for antibiotics. Pairing butyrates with probiotics stabilises gut microbiota and boosts immunity and gut health.
Role of Butyrates in Antibiotic-free Farming
There is a growing demand for antibiotic-free farming in the livestock industry. The overuse of antibiotics in animal farming has led to antibiotic-resistant bacteria, which threatens both animals and humans. Hence, there is a push for alternative strategies for maintaining animal performance and health without relying on antibiotics.
Butyrates provide the best solution to this challenge by supporting gut health, modulating immunity, and inhibiting harmful pathogens. Thus, they are an ideal replacement for antibiotics in animal feed. By incorporating butyrates in animal feed or formulations, farmers can reduce the antibiotic requirement while promoting animal productivity and health.
Future Prospects for Butyrates in Animal Nutrition
Research into butyrates will likely continue, resulting in new applications and benefits. Advances in encapsulation technology may improve the delivery of butyrates, making them even more effective. Further studies on the interaction between butyrates and other feed additives could also lead to more refined and effective feed formulations.
The increasing focus on sustainable and antibiotic-free farming will also drive the adoption of butyrates in animal nutrition. As more farmers recognise the benefits of these feed additives, the demand for butyrates is expected to grow, contributing to healthier animals, improved production outcomes, and more sustainable farming practices.
Conclusion
The use of butyrates, such as sodium and calcium butyrate, in animal feed represents a powerful tool for enhancing animal health and performance. Their ability to support gut integrity, reduce inflammation, modulate the immune system, and improve nutrient absorption makes them invaluable assets in livestock farming.
Whether used in poultry, swine, ruminants, or aquaculture, butyrates offer a range of benefits that contribute to better animal welfare, higher productivity, and a more sustainable approach to animal agriculture. As the industry continues to evolve, butyrates are poised to play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of animal nutrition.
References
- https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7647702/
- https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/12/19/2496
- https://veterinaryresearch.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13567-020-00780-2
- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/jpn.13172