{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,8,11]],"date-time":"2026-08-11T23:27:16Z","timestamp":1786490836333,"version":"build-2736575974"},"reference-count":41,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,30]],"date-time":"2026-07-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1785369600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":210,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Fortiva"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,8]]},"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title>\n                  <jats:p>This study evaluated the effects of increasing medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA) supplementation levels on growth performance, fecal score, energy status, gut health, inflammatory responses, and fecal metabolites in nursery pigs fed high-protein diets (24\u201324.5% crude protein; CP). A total of 72 pigs (initial body weight: 4.89\u2009\u00b1\u20091.57\u2009kg weaned at 17.8\u2009\u00b1\u20092.35\u2009d) were allotted to three treatments in six replicates, with four pigs per pen for a 35-d feeding trial. Treatments were based on MCFA supplementation levels at 0%, 0.5%, and 1.0%, with two phases of d 0\u201321 (Phase 1, 24% CP) and 21\u201335 (Phase 2, 24.5% CP) postweaning. Growth performance and fecal score (1\u2009=\u2009normal to 4\u2009=\u2009severe diarrhea), blood parameters at d 7 and 21 postweaning and fecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels at d 21 and 35 postweaning were measured. With increasing MCFA levels, average daily gain linearly increased in d 21\u201328 (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05) and 21\u201335 (P\u2009=\u20090.08, tendency) postweaning, average daily feed intake linearly decreased in d 0\u201321 postweaning (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05), and gain-to-feed ratio quadratically increased in d 0\u201321, 21\u201335 postweaning, and overall period (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05), while fecal score linearly decreased in d 0\u201321 (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05), and d 21\u201335 (P\u2009=\u20090.09, tendency) postweaning, and overall period (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05). Serum free fatty acid levels decreased linearly at d 21 postweaning (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05), while serum interleukin (IL)-1\u03b2 and IL-8 tended to decrease linearly with increasing MCFA levels at d 7 postweaning (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.10). Serum urea nitrogen linearly increased with increasing MCFA levels at d 7 (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05) and 21 (P\u2009=\u20090.08, tendency) postweaning, while serum d-lactate levels decreased quadratically at d 21 postweaning (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05) and serum diamine oxidase levels tended to decrease at d 7 (P\u2009=\u20090.09, linear) and 21 (P\u2009=\u20090.06, quadratically) postweaning. There were no differences in serum superoxide dismutase activity, protein carbonyl, and malondialdehyde levels. Fecal propionate, butyrate and total SCFA concentrations increased linearly with increasing MCFA levels at d 35 postweaning (P\u2009&amp;lt;\u20090.05). In conclusion, dietary MCFA supplementation up to 1.0% in high-protein diets could improve growth rate, feed efficiency, and fecal consistency in the nursery period and enhance energy status, gut integrity, immunity, and fecal SCFA concentrations in nursery pigs although a slight reduction in feed intake was observed in early nursery period, potentially due to its satiety effects.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.1093\/jas\/skag232","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,7,28]],"date-time":"2026-07-28T12:53:13Z","timestamp":1785243193000},"source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Effects of dietary medium-chain fatty acid supplementation levels on growth performance, fecal score, energy, antioxidant, inflammatory status, and fecal metabolites of nursery pigs fed high-protein diets"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"104","author":[{"given":"Eva S","family":"Safaie","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia , Athens, GA 30602,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1697-4435","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Chan Ho","family":"Kwon","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia , Athens, GA 30602,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jannell A","family":"Torres","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia , Athens, GA 30602,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ji Hye","family":"Lee","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia , Athens, GA 30602,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yoon Soo","family":"Song","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia , Athens, GA 30602,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ellen","family":"Davis","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fortiva, Land O\u2019Lakes , Arden Hills, MN 55126,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michaela P","family":"Metz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Fortiva, Land O\u2019Lakes , Arden Hills, MN 55126,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Young Dal","family":"Jang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia , Athens, GA 30602,","place":["United 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