Supplementation of Propionic Acid (PA), Butyric Acid (BA) or Antibiotic (AB) in Diets and their Influence on Broiler Performance, Carcass Parameters and Immune Response

The effectiveness of organic acids, Propionic acid (PA) and Butyric acid (BA) at two levels (0.2 and 0.3 %) in replacing antibiotic (AB-Virginiamycin 11mg/kg) from chick diets was evaluated in a feeding trial with 270 broiler chicks (Vencobb) by recording their performance, meat yield and immune response up to 42 d of age. The experimental diets included two organic acids, PA and BA at two levels (0.2 and 0.3 %) each in a factorial pattern, and compared with the antibiotic and control diets. Each diet was offered ad libitum to 9 replicates of 5 birds per replicate in battery brooders. The results indicated that organic acids, PA and BA at both levels of inclusion (0.2 % and 0.3 %) in diets enhanced (pless than 0.01) broiler body weight by 8-10 % over the AB and control diets (2154g vs 1960g) at 42d of age. Both organic acids significantly (pless than 0.01) improved FCR (1.68- 1.91), tibia weight (5.75-5.31g), tibia length (7.96-6.16 cm), breast muscle yield (13.68-14.77 %), and reduced leg scores (1.04-1.50) and abdominal fat (7.5 %) compared to AB and control diets. However, there was no statistical difference between PA and BA for all the effects recorded. Organic acids supplemented at 0.2 % in diets was as effective as or better than 0.3 % level suggesting that the former level was adequate in broiler diets. In effect, the study suggested that organic acids, PA and BA supplemented at 0.2 % was effective in replacing Virginiamycin (11mg/kg) from broiler diets with the advantage of better performance up to 42 d of age.