Dietary supplementation with sodium butyrate or bovine colostrum modulates the gut–liver axis in weaned piglets. Sodium butyrate exerted beneficial effects on liver function and lipid parameters, while also inhibiting inflammation and promoting the maintenance of the intestinal barrier. A particularly pronounced effect was observed with bovine colostrum supplementation, which significantly increased average daily weight gain (p < 0.001). In addition, piglets receiving colostrum consumed more feed and exhibited a significantly lower feed conversion ratio (p = 0.002). Metabolic changes induced by sodium butyrate and bovine colostrum supplementation resulted in alterations in the hepatic fatty acid profile, including a reduction in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and a decrease in collagen fiber content in the liver (p = 0.03). The nutritional interventions did not significantly affect microbial diversity indices; however, marked changes in volatile fatty acid concentrations were observed in the large intestine. These changes indicate enhanced microbial fermentation and increased nutrient absorption in the experimental groups. Significant increases were detected in acetic acid (p = 0.003) as well as in butyric, isobutyric, and valeric acids (p = 0.014, p = 0.024, and p = 0.038, respectively). Supplementation with sodium butyrate and dried bovine colostrum also led to increased hepatic concentrations of macro- and microelements in piglets from the experimental groups. Genomic analyses suggest that sodium butyrate modulates hepatic metabolic and inflammatory pathways by downregulating PPAR (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor) and SIRT3 (sirtuin 3) expression and reducing TNF (tumor necrosis factor) gene expression, highlighting its potential role in regulating lipid metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammation in a porcine model. Overall, the results indicate that both supplements may contribute to the modulation of gut microbial activity and liver metabolism in weaned piglets.
Pieszka et al. (Mon,) studied this question.