High-Quality fatty acid Ingredients for Optimal Pet Health

High-Quality fatty acid Ingredients for Optimal Pet Health

As living standards improve, more individuals and families are adopting pets, becoming devoted pet lovers. Pets are no longer merely companions but are often regarded as friends or even family members. Consequently, ensuring their health and happiness has become a shared goal among pet owners. Seven essential nutrients—protein, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water—are indispensable for maintaining pet health. Among these, lipids play a critical role, making the selection of suitable, high-quality fatty acid ingredients vital for pet well-being.

1 The Importance of Sodium Butyrate for Pet Gut Health

1.1 Digestive Characteristics of Pets

The digestive physiology of pets differs significantly from that of humans, livestock, and ruminants, leading to distinct processes for food and nutrient absorption. Additionally, digestive traits and intestinal functions vary among different types of pets.

Dogs and cats have sharp teeth and strong biting force, enabling them to eat quickly. Dogs have a short intestinal tract with thin walls and limited fermentation capacity, resulting in poor digestion of crude fiber. Their gastric acid content (approximately 0.4%–0.6%) allows for strong protein digestion. Dogs also have a highly developed vomiting reflex, which helps prevent poisoning. Cats, as carnivores, rely primarily on meat for nutrient absorption. Their digestive tract is short and wide, with thick walls and high digestive efficiency, but their cecum is underdeveloped and lacks fermentation capability. Both species have short digestive tracts, and prolonged consumption of processed foods like kibble, canned food, or treats can lead to constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, or gastroenteritis. The intestines, serving as key organs for nutrient absorption and immunity, significantly influence overall health. Thus, maintaining gut health is essential for pets.

Poor Gut Health = Wasted Nutrition + Poor Absorption

The gut is a critical organ for nutrient absorption, including trace elements, vitamins, and calcium.

Poor Gut Health = Diarrhea + Allergies

Most toxins and pathogens enter the body through the gut.

1.2 The Role of Butyric Acid in Pet Gut Health

Butyric acid is a short-chain fatty acid produced by anaerobic bacterial fermentation of undigested carbohydrates and fiber polysaccharides in the large intestine. It has broad biological effects but is volatile and challenging to use directly in feed or pet food. Thus, stable butyrate salts (e.g., sodium butyrate) are commonly employed.

1.2.1 Rapid Energy Supply, Promoting Villi Growth, Differentiation, and Repair

Butyric acid is the preferred energy source for intestinal epithelial cells. Among short-chain fatty acids, butyric acid offers the highest energy efficiency, bypassing hepatic absorption and the complex tricarboxylic acid cycle to directly nourish epithelial cells. This promotes villi growth and repairs the villous membrane by renewing intermediate cells, effectively preventing and alleviating gastroenteritis in pets.

1.2.2 Selective Antimicrobial Effects, Balancing Gut Microbiota

Butyric acid modulates gastrointestinal acidity, inhibiting acid-sensitive pathogens like Escherichia coli, Salmonella, and Campylobacter while promoting beneficial bacteria growth This balance reduces diarrhea, constipation, bloating, indigestion, foul stool, and bad breath.

1.2.3 Enhancing Anti-Inflammatory Capacity and Overall Health

Butyric acid suppresses intestinal inflammation. When monocytes/macrophages encounter bacteria, they produce pro-inflammatory substances like IL-12, which stimulates T cells to release IFN-γ, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), and IL-2, triggering intestinal inflammation (MD Säemann et al., 2000). Butyric acid induces monocytes/macrophages to produce IL-10, which inhibits IL-12 and IFN-γ, thereby reducing inflammation

The gut is not only a site for nutrient digestion and absorption but also a vital immune organ. It features four barrier functions: physical, chemical, biological, and immune. By enhancing tight junction protein expression, goblet cell mucus secretion, and lymphocyte/mast cell proliferation, butyric acid strengthens these barriers, boosting pet immunity.

1.3 The Optimal Butyric Acid Supplement—DING SU G

Neo-Agri's proprietary technology has developed the eighth-generation sodium butyrate—DING SU G, a gut-nourishing solution for pet health!

1.3.1 Innovative Structure: Interwoven Crystals with Grape-like Surface

1.3.2 White Granules with Excellent Flowability

1.3.3 High Purity, Mild Odor

Special processing significantly reduces sodium butyrate's characteristic fatty odor. The product is non-hygroscopic and boasts a purity exceeding 98%.

1.3.4 High Uniformity in Feed Mixing

DING SU G's particle size matches conventional feed ingredients, and its interwoven crystal structure ensures high mixing uniformity. Its coefficient of variation (CV) for mixing uniformity improves by 32% compared to ordinary sodium butyrate (Figure 5).

Figure 5 Mixing Uniformity CV of DING SU G vs. Ordinary Sodium Butyrate

1.3.5 Fast Water Solubility for Comprehensive Digestive Care

DING SU G dissolves rapidly (13 g/sec). After oral intake, it exerts dual "acidification" effects throughout the digestive tract

1.3.6 High Tolerance, No Usage Restrictions

DING SU G withstands high temperatures (melting point: 250–253°C) and processing, making it suitable for dry/wet pet food, treats, and canned products. It is safe for pets of all ages, including newborns and sensitive individuals, with no contraindications for antibiotics. It may even enhance antibiotic efficacy.