GUT HEALTH IN PIGLETS: PRACTICAL AND PROFITABLE STRATEGIES

Gut health is a key factor in piglet rearing, as it directly influences their growth, development, and overall well-being.

A healthy digestive system allows for better nutrient absorption, a strong immune system and a lower risk of disease, which translates into higher productive yields.

FACTORS AFFECTING GUT HEALTH

Piglet gut health can be influenced by several factors, including:

• DIET: Diet is one of the most critical factors for piglet gut health, as it not only provides the essential nutrients for growth and development, but also directly affects the composition, function, and integrity of the intestinal mucosa, as well as the immune response.

• MANAGEMENT AND BIOSECURITY: Proper cleaning and disinfection, stocking density control, and stress prevention are essential for maintaining gut health.
• INTESTINAL MICROBIOTA: In piglets, gut microbiota begins to establish at birth and is influenced by factors such as feeding, environment, and pathogen exposure. It plays essential roles in nutrient digestion and absorption and in immune system development. The use of additives such as organic acids and/or essential oils can support the establishment of a beneficial microbiota, reducing disease risk and improving digestive function.

STRATEGIES TO IMPROVE GUT HEALTH

Maintaining good gut health requires a comprehensive approach.

• PROPER NUTRITION

Formulating diets with high-quality, highly digestible ingredients is key.

Using supplements such as organic acids, digestive enzymes, and dietary fibers can improve digestion and gut health.

• INFECTION CONTROL

Vaccination, prudent use of antiparasitics and antibiotics, and implementing strict biosecurity measures are essential for preventing and controlling intestinal diseases.

• STRESS MANAGEMENT

Proper handling during weaning, transport, and other stressful events can reduce the risk of intestinal disorders.

• USE OF ADDITIVES

Using feed additives for piglets is a common practice to improve gut health, optimize growth, and prevent disease. These additives can be natural or synthetic and work in various ways to:

• Maintain balance in the gastrointestinal tract.
• Improve nutrient digestibility.
• Strengthen the immune system.

Among the additives, essential oils and butyrates stand out. In this context, IGUSOL has developed EMERALD and BUTYRON, two user-friendly additives that are strategic for preserving gut health.

WHAT IS EMERALD AND WHAT ARE ITS GUT HEALTH BENEFITS?

Thanks to a thin fat layer, the product remains intact until it reaches the intestine, where it is easily degraded and available to the animal.

The product is designed with a particle size of 100–300 microns, which increases the contact surface with enzymes and allows lipase to more efficiently degrade the fat layer.

WHAT IS BUTYRON AND WHAT ARE ITS GUT HEALTH BENEFITS?

BUTYRON is a product containing sodium butyrate salts stabilized with calcium salts, giving it unique properties. Key benefits for piglets include:

• Energy source for intestinal epithelial cells.
• Promotes regeneration and proliferation of enterocytes.
• Reduces intestinal inflammation.
• Modulates immune response.
• Improves intestinal barrier and mucosal integrity.
• Reduces intestinal pathogens.
• Increases nutrient absorption.
• Supports dietary transitions.

Advantages of BUTYRON over other butyrates:

• It is a stabilized product not coated with fats, so it does not rely on lipase production, which is low in young animals.
• Its multi-layer salt stabilization allows early and progressive butyrate release along the gastrointestinal tract.
• Unlike encapsulated or esterified butyrates, BUTYRON does not require specific enzymes to release butyrate, improving bioavailability in young animals.

How does BUTYRON’s stability work?

The technology used by IGUSOL to stabilize BUTYRON ensures efficacy in the upper gastrointestinal tract like uncoated products, while retaining some distal release similar to encapsulated or esterified products.

Stabilized butyric acid has several potential advantages in animal nutrition, including:

• Release along the entire GI tract.
• Improved stability and bioavailability.
• Lower volatility.
• Reduced odor and taste. Less irritation risk.
• Improved handling and storage.
• Enhanced palatability.
• Better absorption in young animals.

BUTYRON PREFERENCE TEST VS. FAT-COATED BUTYRIC ACID

A study showed positive results regarding the preference for sodium butyrates in post-weaning piglets, confirming that IGUSOL's stabilization improves the palatability of butyric acid.

Experimental design:

Two groups were set up, each with 4 pens and 2 repetitions of the test: the first with 152 piglets and the second with 200. Two isobutyric diets were offered:

• Control diet: commercial starter + 1.5 kg/t of fat-protected sodium butyrate (70%).
• BUTYRON diet: commercial starter + 1.75 kg/t of BUTYRON.

RESULTS

As shown in Graph 1, piglets showed a clear preference for the BUTYRON diet, consuming 68% compared to 32% of the control diet.

 

CONCLUSIONS

By optimizing these factors and using products like BUTYRON and EMERALD, producers can

significantly improve piglet health and performance, leading to greater efficiency and profitability in pig production.