What is the role of butyric acid in aquaculture?

Butyric acid (mainly produced by Clostridium butyricum) plays multiple important roles in aquaculture, mainly reflected in the following aspects:

      Repairing intestinal mucosal barrier: Butyric acid is one of the main energy sources for intestinal epithelial cells in aquatic animals, which can provide sufficient energy for intestinal cells, promote the proliferation and repair of intestinal epithelial cells, enhance the integrity and barrier function of intestinal mucosa. This helps prevent harmful substances such as pathogens and toxins from entering the body through the intestinal mucosa, reducing the occurrence of intestinal diseases in aquatic animals. For example, in shrimp farming, the use of feed additives containing butyric acid can significantly increase the thickness of shrimp intestinal mucosa and the expression of tight junction proteins, enhance intestinal barrier function, and reduce the risk of shrimp infection with pathogenic bacteria such as Vibrio.

      Regulating gut microbiota balance: Butyric acid can regulate the microbial community structure in the gut of aquatic animals, inhibit the growth and reproduction of harmful bacteria (such as Escherichia coli, Salmonella, etc.), and promote the growth of beneficial bacteria (such as Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, etc.). This helps maintain the ecological balance of gut microbiota, improve digestion and immune function in the intestine. For example, in fish farming, adding butyric acid can increase the number of beneficial bacteria in the gut and reduce the number of harmful bacteria, thereby improving the gut microbiota and enhancing the health of fish.

      Improving digestive enzyme activity: Butyric acid can promote the secretion of digestive enzymes (such as protease, lipase, amylase, etc.) in the intestinal tract of aquatic animals, increase the activity of digestive enzymes, and thus enhance the digestion and absorption ability of aquatic animals towards nutrients in feed. This helps to improve feed utilization, reduce breeding costs, and minimize water pollution caused by incomplete digestion of feed during the breeding process. For example, in eel farming, adding butyric acid can significantly increase the activity of digestive enzymes in the eel intestine, promote the digestion and absorption of protein and fat in the feed, and improve the growth rate and feed conversion rate of eels.

      Enhance immunity: Butyric acid can enhance the immunity of aquatic animals by regulating the function and activity of intestinal immune cells. It can promote the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells (such as lymphocytes, macrophages, etc.) in the intestine, increase the activity of immune cells, and enhance the resistance of aquatic animals to pathogens. In addition, butyric acid can regulate the secretion of cytokines in the intestine, maintain immune balance, and reduce the occurrence of inflammatory reactions. For example, in tilapia farming, adding butyric acid can increase the content of immunoglobulin in tilapia serum and the activity of immune cells, enhance tilapia's immunity, and reduce the incidence of diseases.

      Improving water quality: After the digestion and absorption capacity of aquatic animals for nutrients in feed is increased, the undigested nutrients in feces are reduced, thereby reducing the content of nitrogen, phosphorus and other pollutants in aquaculture water, which helps to improve water quality. Meanwhile, after exerting its effects in the intestine, some Clostridium butyricum will be excreted with feces and continue to play a beneficial role in the water, inhibiting the growth of harmful bacteria and maintaining the ecological balance of the water.