Performance of Broilers Fed Formic and Propionic Acid Supplemented Diets

A feeding trial was conducted using 360 one day-old broiler chicks (Vencobb) of either sex for six weeks period to assess the performance of broilers fed diets containing formic and propionic acids either singly or in combination. The experimental birds were allotted to eight dietary treatment groups with three replicates per group comprising 45 birds in each treatment group. The control and antibiotic growth promoter (AGP) dietary groups were fed basal diet and basal diet plus virginiamicin (0.05%), respectively while the other dietary treatment groups were supplemented with either formic acid at 0.1 (FA-0.1) or 0.15% (FA-0.15) or propionic acid at 0.1 (PA-0.1) or 0.15% (PA-0.15) or combination of formic (0.05) and propionic (0.05% each) acids (FA+PA-0.1) or commercial gut acidifier (CGA) at 0.1% level. The performance of the birds in terms of weight gain, feed efficiency, nutrient digestibility, carcass characteristics, blood parameters and cost of production were assessed. The results revealed that addition of formic acid at 0.1 (FA-0.1) or 0.15% (FA-0.15) or propionic acid at 0.1 (PA-0.1) or 0.15% (PA0.15) or combination of formic and propionic acids (FA+PA- 0.1) or commercial gut acidifier (CGA0.1) at 0.1% level in the diet of broilers did not influence the BW gain and feed intake. The feed conversion ratio (P<0.05) was better in antibiotic-virginiamicin (1.76), FA+PA-0.1(1.70) and CGA-0.1 (1.74) fed groups as compared to the control (1.86). Carcass characteristics, digestibility of nutrients and tibial ash content were not affected significantly. The feed cost per kg live weight gain and per kg meat production was significantly (P<0.05) lower in antibiotic and FA+PA-0.1 groups. Based on feed conversion efficiency and economics, it can be inferred that combination of formic and propionic acids at 0.1% level in the diet of broilers was found to be beneficial and comparable to the antibiotic (virginiamicin) fed group. Hence organic acids can be used in the diet of broilers to replace AGP so as to avoid the problem of antibiotic residues in livestock products.