Animal feed material

A feed material for livestock is effective in prevention and/or treatment of pathogenic infections in livestock and/or in increasing efficiency in livestock production.Enteral administration of polysaccharide butyryl esters to livestock animals results in increased butyrate concentrations in the lower intestinal tract. This leads amongst others to a reduced presence of pathogens in the lower intestinal tract and feces and superior growth performance results compared to other butyrate formulations or products. The feed material provides polysaccharide butyryl esters, compositions, such as feed additives and/or feed, having the polysaccharide butyryl esters, as well as the uses of the polysaccharide butyryl esters as feed additive, e.g. for preventing or treating pathogenic infections in livestock and/or in increasing efficiency in livestock production.