Lauric acid saponified with calcium ameliorates indices of intestinal function and gut health in weaned piglets

Reducing the use of antibiotics is one of the largest challenges for pig production. The scientific community has investigated numerous alternative substances to antibiotics, including medium-chain fatty acids, due to their antimicrobial and protective effects on the gut health of piglets. The present study investigated the effect of lauric acid saponified with calcium (C12-Ca) on the growth performance and gut health parameters in post-weaning piglets. A total of 192 24-day-old piglets were assigned to one of three dietary treatments: CTR (basal diet alone), ANT (amoxicillin, 400 mg/kg) as a positive control diet, or C12-Ca (1 g/kg) for 28 days. C12-Ca did not affect performance, except for feed efficiency (FE), which increased (p <.05) in the C12-Ca and ANT groups from 15 to 28 days. On days 0 to 28, FE was higher (p <.001) in the C12-Ca group than in the CTR group. In the C12-Ca and CTR groups, antibiotic treatments against diarrhoea were reduced. A greater concentration of lactic acid was found in the small intestine in the C12-Ca group and the acetic acid concentration in the caecum decreased under C12-Ca treatment (p <.001). No differences in IL-10, IL-6, IgA, and IgG were found in faecal samples. In the duodenum and ileum, C12-Ca administration provided a higher total antioxidant capacity and lower malondialdehyde level (p <.001). C12-Ca improved the ileal villus height and width (p <.001). Our findings suggest that C12-Ca administration ameliorates the indices of intestinal function and gut health in weaned piglets.Highlights Reducing the use of antibiotics is one of the largest challenges for pig production. Medium-chain fatty acids are important alternative substances to antibiotics. Lauric acid saponified with calcium represents a promising nutritional strategy for improving piglet gut health.