Modulating Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Preweaning Dairy Calves: Dose-Dependent Effects of Milk-Based Sodium Butyrate Supplementation.

ABSTRACT: Sodium butyrate (SB), an essential nutritional additive for livestock, has drawn notable interest for its potential for enhancing microbiota development in ruminant animals. This study aimed to assess SB's effects on ruminal and intestinal microbiota when added to milk for preweaning dairy calves nearing 45 days old. We administered SB in the calves' milk at four levels: 0 g/d (control), 4.4 g/d (low), 8.8 g/d (medium), and 17.6 g/d (high). After a six-week trial with ten replicates per group, ruminal fluid and fecal samples were collected for 16S rRNA sequencing, specifically targeting the V3-V4 regions to analyze microbiota. The results indicated an enhancement in ruminal microbiota, particularly in community richness, with low-level SB supplementation but minimal benefits from medium an

SUBMITTER: Wu D 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10893347 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature