Butyrate has been reported to promote the performance and growth of chickens. The specific roles and efficacy of different sources of butyrate remained unclear. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate and compare the effects of Clostridium butyricum (CB), sodium butyrate (SB), and butyric acid glycerides (tributyrin, BAG) on the reproductive performance, egg quality, intestinal health, and offspring performance of yellow-feathered breeder hens. A total of 300 Lingnan yellow-feathered breeder hens were assigned to five treatment groups: control (CL), 1×10⁸CFU/kg CB (CBL), 1×10⁹CFU/kg CB (CBH), 500mg/kg SB, and 300mg/kg BAG. Results showed that the laying performance and egg quality were increased by CBL, CBH, and BAG. Both CB treatments increased the hatchability of fertilized eggs. Maternal supplementation with both levels of CB significantly elevated the growth performance of offspring. Treatment with CBL, CBH, SB, and BAG all improved the oviduct-related variables and reduced the plasmal antioxidant variables. The CBH, CBL, and BAG treatments also improved the intestinal morphology to different degrees. Jejunal contents of IL-6 were decreased by CBH and BAG, while those of IL-4, IL-6, IL-1β, and IgY were decreased by SB. Transcripts of nutrient transporters in jejunal mucosa were also upregulated by CBH, CBL, and SB treatments and expression of Bcl-2-associated X protein was decreased by CBL, CBH, and BAG. In cecal contents, CBL increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacillus, while CBH decreased the abundance of Proteobacteria. Also, the co-occurrence networks of intestinal microbes were regulated by CBH and BAG. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of CB and BAG improved the reproductive parameters, egg quality, and intestinal morphology of breeders. CB also influenced the hatching performance of breeders and growth performance of the offspring, while SB improved the oviduct-related variables. These beneficial effects may result from the regulation of cytokines, nutrient transporters, apoptosis, and gut microbiota; high-level CB had more obvious impact. Further study is needed to explore and understand the correlation between the altered gut microbiota induced by butyrate and the performance, egg quality, intestinal health, and also offspring performance.

据报道，丁酸盐可促进鸡的性能和生长。不同来源的丁酸盐的具体作用和功效仍不清楚。因此，本研究旨在调查和比较酪酸梭菌（CB）、丁酸钠（SB）和丁酸甘油酯（三丁酸甘油酯，BAG）对黄羽种鸡繁殖性能、蛋质量、肠道健康和后代性能的影响。将300只岭南黄羽种鸡分为5个处理组：对照组（CL）、1×10 ⁸ CFU/kg CB（CBL）、1×10 ⁹CFU/kg CB (CBH)、500mg/kg SB 和 300mg/kg BAG。结果表明，CBL、CBH 和 BAG 提高了产蛋性能和鸡蛋质量。两种 CB 处理都增加了受精卵的孵化率。母体补充两种水平的 CB 显着提高了后代的生长性能。用 CBL、CBH、SB 和 BAG 治疗都改善了输卵管相关变量并降低了血浆抗氧化变量。CBH、CBL和BAG处理也不同程度地改善了肠道形态。CBH和BAG降低了IL-6的空肠含量，而SB降低了IL-4、IL-6、IL-1β和IgY的含量。CBH、CBL 和 SB 处理也上调了空肠粘膜中营养转运蛋白的转录本，CBL、CBH 和 BAG 降低了 Bcl-2 相关 X 蛋白的表达。在盲肠内容物中，CBL 增加了厚壁菌门和芽孢杆菌的丰度，而 CBH 减少了变形菌门的丰度。此外，肠道微生物的共生网络受 CBH 和 BAG 的调节。总之，日粮中添加 CB 和 BAG 改善了种鸡的繁殖参数、蛋质量和肠道形态。CB 还影响种鸡的孵化性能和后代的生长性能，而 SB 改善了输卵管相关变量。这些有益作用可能来自细胞因子、营养转运蛋白、细胞凋亡和肠道微生物群的调节；高层CB影响更明显。需要进一步的研究来探索和理解丁酸盐引起的肠道微生物群改变与性能、鸡蛋质量、肠道健康、