Use of organic acids in broiler diets

Two feeding trials were carried out to determine the potential use of fumaric acid and calcium formate in diets for broiler chickens. In the first study using male broiler chicks fed to 21 days of age, fumaric acid was added at 0, .5, 1.0 and 1.5% and calcium formate was added at 0, .72, 1.48, 2.20, and 2.89%. All combinations of fumaric acid and calcium formate were evaluated in a 4 x 5 factorial arrangement of treatments. Addition of .5 or 1.0% fumaric acid significantly (P less than .05) improved body weights of broilers but did not influence feed utilization. Addition of calcium formate at levels greater than .72% significantly reduced both body weight and feed utilization. There was no significant interaction between levels of fumaric acid and calcium formate. In a second trial, male and female broiler chicks were grown to 49 days of age using diets containing 0, .5, 1.0, and 1.5% calcium formate. Addition of .5 or 1.0% calcium formate had no significant effect on weight gains or feed utilization. Addition of 1.5% calcium formate significantly reduced body weights of both males and females at 21 and 42 days. At 49 days of age, body weights of males fed 1.5% calcium formate did not differ from those of males fed the control diet, but were significantly less than those of males fed diets with .5 or 1.0% calcium formate. Female body weights at 49 days of age were significantly depressed by addition of 1.5% calcium formate.