Butyric acid, naturally present in cow milk, serves as energy source for GIT epithelial cells. We hypothesize that supplementing butyric acid in form of its glycerol ester in milk may enhance its intestinal delivery and stimulate epithelial development in preweaning calves. Twenty-two Holstein bull calves (<4 d old) were stratified by arriving BW and serum total protein and randomly assigned to treatments. Calves were fed milk replacer that was supplemented with 0 (CON), 0.4 (LOW) or 0.8% (HIGH) of monobutyrin (MB, solid basis of milk replacer) until 8 wk of age. Milk replacer containing 27.6% CP and 14.4% crude fat (DM basis) was fed twice daily at 1.5% (solid basis) of BW which was updated weekly. Starter grain and water were provided for ad libitum consumption during the study. Scores for health (respiration, diarrhea, alertness) were assigned once daily. BW was measured at arrival and weekly, and body frame parameters were measured at arrival and on wk 4, 6 and 8. Calves were weaned and euthanized on wk 8. Tissue, mucosa, and digesta samples from GIT were harvested. The jejunum epithelial permeability was measured through an Ussing chamber immediately after collection. The data were subject to ANOVA using mixed procedure of SAS. Preliminary results showed that BW was numerically higher in LOW than HIGH and CON, whereas wither height and body length were greater (P < 0.05) in calves of LOW than those in CON group on wk 6 and 8. Supplementation of MB tended to increase (P = 0.08) hip height. Despite lack of significance (P = 0.17), villus height of jejunum epithelium was the highest in LOW followed by HIGH and CON. The crypt depth was not affected by treatment. However, the ratio of villus height to crypt depth was significantly higher (P = 0.04) in LOW than that in CON. MB increased (P < 0.05) mRNA of tight junction proteins (CLDN1 and OCLN) in jejunal mucosa. Para- and transcellular permeability were not affected by treatment. Collectively, low dose of MB supplementation moderately improved growth and jejunal epithelial development in preweaning calves.