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Description

This study was conducted to assess the effects of dietary monoglycerides and tributyrin on performance, blood metabolites, and intestinal health function in nursery piglets. A total of 96 crossbred entire male piglets (7.70 ± 0.49 kg) were allotted for 35 days in a complete block design to one of four treatments: (1) negative control (NC): no feed additive, (2) positive control (PC) containing 60 mg halquinol/kg diet, (3) diet containing 2 g monoglyceride blend/kg diet (MGD), and (4) diet containing 2 g tributyrin/kg diet (TBT). The growth phases were defined as pre-starter (day 0 to 20), and starter (day 20 to 35). No treatment effect on performance was observed. Pre-starter piglets fed NC showed higher diarrhoea occurrence (DO) than those fed PC and TBT (p <0.05), and a lower DO was observed in starter piglets fed PC, MGD, and TBT compared to NC (p <0.001). Pre-starter piglets fed TBT showed lower alkaline phosphatase concentration than in PC, and a lower aspartate aminotransferase concentration compared to PC and MGD (p <0.05).