Response of Starter Broiler Chickens to Feed Diets Treated with Organic Acids

Background: Organic acids contain one or more carboxylic acid groups which are linked with covalent bond and  have acidic properties that can enhance the reservation of protein and some other nutrients in birds. Antibiotic growth promoters have been banned due to their residues that remain in the meat and effects the human beings. Therefore, the organic acids are used as their alternatives. The present study is aimed to inspect the outcome of organic acids on uptake of feed, feed gain ratio, and live weight gain in broiler chickens.Methods: A total of 150 unsexed broiler chickens were used for this experiment which were having five categories of treatment as T1, T2, T3, T4, and T5. Each category had thirty birds. T1 was treated with a standard diet, T2was treated with acetic acid, T3 with butyric acid, T4 with citric acid and T5 with formic acid.  The duration of this experiment was 28 days. After the specified time of this experiment, the data of uptake of feed and body weight was gathered on weekly basis.  Comparison of all the five treatments was done by using the Duncan's multiple range test.Results: Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) was found lower in T5 than other treatments. T5 group showed the highest average value of final body weight of broilers in contrast to the T3 group which showed the lowest final body weight.  Feed intake was found significantly different within the treatments. T3 showed significantly lower value as compared to other treatments. The lowest value of average regular uptake of grains was found in T3 treatment group. Broilers fed on formic acid have shown a better protein efficiency ratio than that of butyric acid and citric acid. Broilers treated with citric acid have a significant difference which indicates more water consumption as compared to other treatments.Conclusion: Organic acids have a productive effect on the growth of animals and broiler chickens. Organic acids including butyric acid, acetic, citric, formic, fumaric, and propionic acid vary in their biochemical actions in the system of animals. Organic acid affects the final weight gain, average regular gain in weight, total uptake of feed, and feed to gain ratio, daily intake of protein, protein efficiency ratio, total water uptake, average water intake, and water feed ratio. Based on the present study, further analysis is required to look over the impacts of addition of organic acid on the growth accomplishment of broiler chicks.Keywords: Broiler chicks; Organic acid; Butyric acid; Citric acid; Acetic acid; Formic acid