Table 4.
The effect of the butyric acid and α-monolaurin, with and without the inclusion of antibiotic growth promoters, on the villi height (µm) of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum of broilers at 20 days of age (± standard error of the mean).
| Intestinal Segments | Treatment | Without AGP α | With AGP α | Mean |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duodenum | No additives | 2829.66 b (±75.24) | 2708.57 b (±75.24) | 2769.12 b (±53.20) |
| Butyric acid # | 3188.21 a (±75.24) | 2976.97 a (±75.24) | 3082.59 a (±53.20) | |
| Monolaurin * | 3219.30 a1 (±75.24) | 2938.28 a2 (±75.24) | 3078.79 a (±53.20) | |
| Butyric acid # + Monolaurin * | 3170.11 a1 (±75.24) | 2893.01 a2 (±75.24) | 3031.56 a (±53.20) | |
| Mean | 3101.82 1 (±37.62) | 2879.21 2 (±37.62) | ||
| Jejunum | No additives | 1770.21 1 (±74.03) | 1472.10 c2 (±74.03) | 1621.16 b (±52.35) |
| Butyric acid # | 1808.52 1 (±74.03) | 1642.83 bc2 (±74.03) | 1752.67 bc (±52.35) | |
| Monolaurin * | 1937.13 1 (±74.03) | 1687.65 ab2 (±74.03) | 1812.39 ac (±52.35) | |
| Butyric acid # + Monolaurin * | 1964.48 (±74.03) | 1888.85 a (±74.03) | 1926.66 a (±52.35) | |
| Mean | 1870.09 1 (±37.01) | 1672.85 2 (±37.01) | ||
| Ileum | No additives | 1064.83 (±40.49) | 983.93 b (±40.49) | 1024.38 b (±28.63) |
| Butyric acid # | 1164.02 (±40.49) | 1146.42 a (±40.49) | 1155.22 a (±28.63) | |
| Monolaurin * | 1091.94 (±40.49) | 1087.94 ab (±40.49) | 1089.94 ab (±28.63) | |
| Butyric acid # + Monolaurin * | 1172.10 (±40.49) | 1090.91 ab (±40.49) | 1131.50 a (±28.63) | |
| Mean | 1123.22 (±20.25) | 1077.30 (±20.25) |
α Antibiotic growth promoter: zinc bacitracin 15% (0.5 g/kg); # Novyrate®C (starter 1 g/kg, grower 0.75 g/kg, finisher 0.25 g/kg); * FRA® C12 Dry (1 g/kg); a–c column means per intestinal segment with a distinctive superscript differ significantly (p < 0.05); 1,2 row means with a distinctive superscript differ significantly (p < 0.05).