Butyric Acid as an Antibiotic Substitute for Broiler Chicken–A Review
Loading...
Date
2018-01
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
In modern commercial broiler chicken production, the birds are inevitably exposed to various stress due
to rapid growth, intensive poultry rearing, high stock density resulting in diminishing immune competence, gut
health etc. This paves way to greater susceptibility of the birds to illness, infection and mortality. To overcome these
losses, mostly antibiotics are being incorporated in feed. These antibiotics have possible lead to the emergence and
dissemination of multiple antibiotic resistant pathogens and reduction in response to human and animal infections.
The ban of antibiotic growth promoters in many countries necessitates to find an alternative to suppress microbial
load particularly the gut. Probiotics, prebiotics or organic acids have being included to replace antibiotics. Of which,
prebiotics are costlier affecting economics in poultry production, while probiotics have different degrees of survivability
in feed and in the gut environment. Organic acids could be the possible choice as alternative to antibiotics. In poultry
production, organic acids have not gained as much attention as in swine production (Langhout, 2000).Generally,
short chain fatty acids (formic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid) are preferred acidifiers, among which, butyric acid (BA)
is considered as the prime enterocyte energy source, necessary for development of Gut Associated Lymphoid Tissue
(GALT) (Friedman and Bar-Shira, 2005) and has the highest bactericidal efficacy against the acid-intolerant species
such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp. (Kwan and Ricke, 2005) with selective stimulation of beneficial gut bacteria.
Description
TNV_JAHP_2018_6(2)63-69
Keywords
Veterinary Science