Butirex C4 is a highly concentrated butyric acid, with an exclusive protection system, which makes it a functional nutrient that has an enormous impact on the development and maintenance of intestinal integrity. More importantly, as we shall see, it is an excellent stimulator of consumption in early feedstuffs.
Technical Commercial Coordinator
Novation 2002
R&D Manager
Novation 2002
THE IMPORTANCE OF EARLY AND ADEQUATE INTAKE: THE MAIN OBJECTIVE
Feed intake is going to be the vanishing point where the main challenges that threaten the animal during its first two weeks of life converge and are especially limiting:
• Quality of the 1-day-old chick (fasting time after hatching)
• Low weight in the first week of life (closely linked to consumption)
• High mortality (closely linked to intestinal permeability)
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENTERIC TRACT DURING THE FIRST TWO WEEKS OF LIFE
In this regard, this feed intake before 10-14 days of life will be decisive for the development and maturation from the structural point of view of all the mechanisms involved in the maintenance of intestinal integrity, on which the future productive success of the animal will depend.
THE ABILITY OF CHICKENS TO SMELL AND TASTE: AN UNDERESTIMATED CONCEPT?
The belief that birds have a poorly developed sense of smell and taste has been a popular belief in avian physiology. However, more and more studies are showing the presence of a more developed, complex, and selective olfactory system than traditionally accepted.
Similarly, the chicken possesses a very important number of taste buds in different regions of the oral cavity epithelium, with a rapid rate of renewal, which allows it to respond to different stimuli immediately after birth, showing a behavior of aversion or acceptance of different compounds, fundamental from the nutritional point of view.
The latter is implicit in the mechanism of action on the consumption of Butirex C4.
INCREASED FEED INTAKE WITH BUTIREX C4: A CONSTANT AND REPEATED EFFECT
Throughout almost 20 years of experience with the use of Butirex C4 on the market, increased feed intake is the most repeated and observed effect in chickens in the first 2-3 weeks of life. For several reasons, as we will see below, not all butyric-based products offer this response.
Due to its specific characteristics, Butirex C4 has a strong response on taste and olfactory memory in the early stages of chick development, enhancing from the first days of life a positive sensory experience that has a great impact on consumption.
WHAT IS THE REASON FOR THE INCREASED FEED INTAKE WITH BUTIREX C4?
There are two fundamental factors that explain the effect on consumption with the use of Butirex C4:
• The high palatability of the product
• The increased insulin production at pancreatic level
An aromatic substance
Regarding the first point, associated with the manufacturing technology, the butyric acid contained in Butirex C4 is an aromatic substance that makes this nutrient an extremely palatable ingredient for all animal species, especially in the first ages of chickens.
Glucose metabolism
A second aspect that contributes to what we have just mentioned is the capability of Butirex C4 to bind to the butyric acid receptors present in the enterocytes, which will trigger a peripheral signal at pancreatic level that will act on glucose metabolism, stimulating the production of insulin and regulating the increased consumption.
In the case of the chick, both actions are especially relevant since, as we have mentioned, this increased consumption will have a great impact on the development of the intestine, increasing the length of the villi, stimulating enzymatic maturation and, more significantly, enhancing the absorption of nutrients and their digestibility.
Therefore, the increased intake has a direct impact on ADG and FCR during this period.
META-ANALYSIS OF 20 TESTS
Not all butyric acid-based products increase consumption: The importance of dosage.
In bibliography, it is common to note the absence of effects on consumption with the use of other butyric acid-based products, especially certain fat-protected butyrates and some butyric acid esters.
In the first place, the protection mechanism used in these molecules plays a major role in preventing butyric acid from having such a marked effect on the palatability of the feed, depriving the animal of one of the most potentially positive effects at an early age.
But undoubtedly, the main factor that conditions the absence of effects on consumption is the low dosage of product recommended for merely commercial reasons.
The increased consumption with Butirex C4 in the first weeks of chicken life is dose dependant.
In this regard, the product also shows a correlation between the increased final weight of the animals and consumption at early ages. Therefore, from an economic point of view, the use of the highest recommended doses of Butirex C4 during the first two weeks of life is fully justified.
Consequently, the initial intake greatly conditions the intestinal integrity of the chicken. Underlying this scenario of optimal absorption and digestibility are all the additional positive effects widely demonstrated with Butirex C4:
• Regeneration of the epithelium.
• Reinforcement of tight junctions and strengthening of the intestinal barrier for control of intestinal homeostasis and permeability.
• Control of inflammatory mediators at the level of the epithelial cell line and the immune system and, of course, the highly beneficial modulation of the microbiota associated with pathogen control.
About Javier Sánchez
Javier Sánchez, a graduate and Ph.D. in veterinary medicine with a mention as a European Ph.D. from the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Cáceres, Spain, complements his solid training with an MBA from the Polytechnic University of Madrid. His professional career has focused on the field of animal nutrition, with a particular focus on intestinal health and integrity, an area in which he has excelled over the last decade. His dedication and experience in this field make him an outstanding expert, currently Technical and Commercial Coordinator of Novation.About Beatriz Saldaña
Beatriz Saldaña, a graduate and Ph.D. in Agricultural Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid with international mention and a prestigious Extraordinary Thesis Award, making her a leading figure in the field of animal nutrition. In recent years, she has focused her professional career on research, acquiring a MSc in Animal Health and Nutrition from the Complutense and Polytechnic Universities, as well as participating in several European animal nutrition projects. Her commitment to excellence and her experience on animal nutrition research have made her an invaluable resource as head of R&D at Novation.
