Protected Organic Acids Improved Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, and Decreased Gas Emission in Broilers

Area of Science:

• Animal Science
• Poultry Nutrition
• Gut Health Management

Background:

• Broiler production faces challenges with feed efficiency and gut health.
• Organic acids (OAs) and medium-chain fatty acids (MCFAs) show potential as feed additives.
• Optimizing their inclusion levels is crucial for broiler performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a blend of OAs and MCFAs on broiler chicken growth, feed efficiency, and gut parameters.
• To determine the dose-response effects of this blend on broiler performance and excreta characteristics.

Main Methods:

• 800 one-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chickens were used in a 7-week study.
• Five dietary treatments were applied, including a basal diet and the basal diet supplemented with OAs and MCFAs at varying levels (0.25 to 1 g/kg).
• Growth performance, feed intake, dry matter digestibility, gut microbial populations (Lactobacillus), and ammonia emissions were measured.

Main Results:

• Supplementation linearly improved body weight gain, feed conversion ratio, and dry matter digestibility.
• Feed intake decreased linearly during the first week with increasing blend levels.
• Lactobacillus concentrations increased linearly, while ammonia emissions decreased linearly in broilers fed the blend.

Conclusions:

• The blend of OAs and MCFAs positively influences broiler growth performance and dry matter digestibility.
• Supplementation enhances gut microbiota by increasing Lactobacillus and reducing ammonia emission.
• The tested blend did not impact carcass quality or pathogenic bacterial counts.