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BMC veterinary research2020; 16(1); 121; doi: 10.1186/s12917-020-02332-4

Dietary supplementation of micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate in healthy horses: effect on gut histology and immunohistochemistry parameters.

Abstract: As colic and intestinal disorders are a major concern in horses, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation of butyrate, known to have a diverse array of beneficial effects on intestinal health. The effect of micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate supplementation on gut histology and immunohistochemistry parameters was studied in 14 healthy warmblood horses destined for slaughter in two separate periods. Horses were fed a low fiber - high starch diet, designed to induce subsequent starch overflow in the large intestine, aiming to create a mild challenge for large intestinal health. Treatment included supplementation with either micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate (Excential Butycoat®, Orffa, Werkendam, the Netherlands) or placebo (containing only coating material). The horses were fed for 20 consecutive days at a dosage of 0.4 g/kg BW (body weight). At day 21, the horses were slaughtered and intestinal samples were collected for determination of gut pH, villus length, crypt depth and area % of CD3+ and CD20+ cells. Results: Horses on the butyrate supplemented diet had significantly reduced crypt depths in the right dorsal colon compared to placebo-fed horses (P < 0.001). However, a treatment x period interaction (P = 0.002) was discovered regarding this parameter, which could not be explained by the authors. Further investigation into the number of KI67+ cells in the RDC crypts did not reveal any significant differences between treatments (P = 0.650), indicating that the reduction in crypt depth in butyrate-fed horses could not be explained by a significant difference in cellular proliferation. Intestinal pH, villus length and expression of intestinal CD3+ and CD20+ cells were not significantly affected by treatment at any intestinal level. Conclusions: Our data indicate that supplementation of micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate to the equine diet did not influence gut histology (with the exception of a decrease found in the crypts of the RDC) or immunohistochemistry parameters in healthy horses. Further research is warranted to investigate the impact of butyrate supplementation in horses with intestinal disease.
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Publication Date: 2020-04-28 PubMed ID: 32345290PubMed Central: PMC7189644DOI: 10.1186/s12917-020-02332-4Google Scholar: Lookup
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Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This study evaluated the impacts of supplementing the diets of healthy horses with micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate. Although the supplement did not significantly affect the majority of observed gut histology or immunohistochemistry parameters, it did reduce intestinal crypt depth in a specific area.

Research Overview

  • The study aimed to explore the impact of dietary supplementation with micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate on gut histology and immunohistochemistry parameters in horses. Colic and other intestinal disorders are high on the list of health problems for horses, and butyrate has been identified as potentially beneficial for intestinal health.
  • The research was conducted on 14 healthy warmblood horses that were divided into two groups in separate time periods. They were fed a diet designed to cause mild stress to the large intestine.
  • The horses were either given supplements of micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate or a placebo for 20 consecutive days. On the 21st day, the horses were euthanized and their intestinal samples were collected for evaluation.

Major Findings of the Study

  • The study noted a significant decrease in the crypt depths in the right dorsal colon in the horses that were given the butyrate supplement as compared to those given the placebo.
  • However, the histological and immunohistochemical parameters studied, including intestinal pH, villus length, and expression of CD3+ and CD20+ cells, showed no considerable difference between the treatment and the control groups.
  • The reduction in crypt depth could not be attributed to a significant difference in cellular proliferation, as no significant difference was found in the number of KI67+ cells. This finding suggested a possible period-dependent effect which the researchers could not prove conclusively.

Conclusions and Future Research

  • While the micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate supplement did not show a significant influence on most of the parameters studied, the research indicates it might have an isolated effect on the crypts of the right dorsal colon.
  • Further research is needed to investigate and clarify this finding, and to explore the potential implications and benefits of butyrate supplementation for horses with intestinal disease.

Cite This Article

APA
Wambacq WA, van Doorn DA, Rovers-Paap PM, Ducatelle R, Vlaminck L, Lourenço M, Hesta M. (2020). Dietary supplementation of micro-encapsulated sodium butyrate in healthy horses: effect on gut histology and immunohistochemistry parameters. BMC Vet Res, 16(1), 121. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12917-020-02332-4

Publication

BMC veterinary research
ISSN: 1746-6148
NlmUniqueID: 101249759
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 16
Issue: 1
Pages: 121
PII: 121

Researcher Affiliations

Wambacq, W A
  • Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium. wendy.wambacq@ugent.be.
van Doorn, D A
  • Department of Equine Sciences and Department of Farm Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, P.O. Box 80.151, 3508 TD, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
  • Equivado, Equine Nutrition Consultancy, Marnixlaan 80, 3552 HG, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Rovers-Paap, P M
  • Orffa, Vierlinghstraat 51, 4251LC, Werkendam, the Netherlands.
Ducatelle, R
  • Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Vlaminck, L
  • Department of Surgery and Anesthesiology of Domestic Animals, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
Lourenço, M
  • Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.
  • Present address: Flanders Research Institute for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Scheldeweg 68, 9090, Melle, Belgium.
Hesta, M
  • Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, Department of Nutrition, Genetics and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820, Merelbeke, Belgium.

MeSH Terms

  • Animal Feed / analysis
  • Animals
  • Butyrates / pharmacology
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Digestion / drug effects
  • Female
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / cytology
  • Gastrointestinal Tract / drug effects
  • Horses
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Immunohistochemistry
  • Intestinal Mucosa / drug effects
  • Male
  • Starch

Conflict of Interest Statement

Co-author P. M. Rovers-Paap is employed with Orffa, whose product is used in the current study. All other authors declare no competing interests.

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Citations

This article has been cited 7 times.
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