Standardized Citrus Extract supplementation increases endogenous butyric acid concentration in the gut

The importance of butyric acid for animals’ gut health and

Feed efficiency

Intestinal health plays a vital role in ensuring the optimal development of animals. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), such as butyric acid, are particularly important due to their beneficial impact on the intestinal microbiota. These compounds help preserve intestinal integrity and enhance feed digestibility, thus improving feed efficiency. Therefore, increasing the concentration of SCFAs in the intestinal tract presents a promising strategy to improve animal health and production performance.

Nor-Feed carried out a study aiming to assess the effect of supplementing broiler chickens with a standardized natural citrus extract (SNCE) on SCFA levels in the intestine, with a specific focus on butyric acid, a key SCFA in promoting intestinal health.

In field condition trial on

Broiler chickens

This trial was conducted on 1344 one-day-old male broiler chickens (Ross 308). Broiler chickens were equally divided into 2 groups. The control group, composed of 16 replicates of each 42 birds, fed with a standard diet. The SNCE group, composed also of 16 replicates of 42 birds each, fed a standard diet supplemented with 250 ppm of standardized natural citrus extract. The butyric acid content in caeca was measured at day 12 and at day 34.

Trial results

Proven efficiency

Results showed that SNCE supplementation significantly increased the percentage of caecal butyric acid content at d12 (14.39%) compared to control group (12.32%). At d34, the percentage of butyric acid was still numerically higher in SNCE group (14.75%) compared to the control group (13.21%), but the difference was not significant. Therefore, these trial results show that SNCE supplementation allows to increase endogenous butyric acid rate in caeca.

The composition of SNCE may explain the observed effects. Key compounds in SNCE, such as pectic oligosaccharides, naringenin, and hesperidin, are well known for promoting the growth of bacteria that produce SCFAs. Based on these findings, SNCE appears to be a promising solution for enhancing digestive health in young birds. However, further studies are needed to confirm these hypotheses.