Additive Effect of Sodium Diformate on Broiler Performance in Environmentally Controlled Housing System
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Date
2015
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Publisher
TANUVAS, Chennai
Abstract
A biological experiment was conducted by using 300 day old, sex separated
commercial broiler chicks belonging to single hatch. These chicks were randomly
grouped into 6 treatments with 5 replicates of 10 chicks in each. All the birds were
reared under standard management practices in an environmentally controlled house
up to five weeks of age. Experimental diets were prepared by adding sodium
diformate (NDF) at 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15, and 0.20 per cent level and oxytetracycline at
0.02 per cent level in the basal broiler feed and fed to the broilers up to the end of the
experimental period. Production parameters such as body weight, feed consumption
and mortality if any, were recorded at weekly interval and based on the collected data
gain in body weight, feed conversion ratio and livability were worked out. At the end
of the study period, two birds (one male and one female) from each replicate were
randomly chosen and slaughtered to study the carcass characteristics. The intestinal
contents and litter materials were collected for determination of microbial load. The
collected data were analyzed statistically and the results were interpreted. Finally, the
cost effectiveness of supplementing sodium diformate in broiler ration was calculated.
Dietary supplementation of sodium diformate had significant (P<0.05) effect
on the body weight of broilers. At fifth week, comparatively higher mean body weight
was recorded in group T6 (1994.10 g) followed by group T5 (1978.36 g) than rest of
the treatment groups. Similarly better body weight gain was recorded in sodium
diformate supplemented group throughout the study period. It was noticed that as the
dietary sodium diformate level increased, there was a proportionate increase in the
body weight and body weight gain in broilers. Sodium diformate supplementation had
no significant influence on the cumulative feed consumption in broilers. At five weeks
of age, the group T6 recorded better feed conversion ratio (1.367) followed by group
T5 (1.381) and T4 (1.382) than group T1 and T2 (1.435 and 1.430). It was observed
that as the dietary sodium diformate level increased, there was a proportionate
improvement in the feed conversion ratio in broilers.
Supplementation of sodium diformate in the diet of broilers had no significant
influence on the livability during the study period. Group T5 recorded significantly
(P<0.05) higher antibody titre (4.14) against Ranikhet disease followed by groups T6
(3.71) and T4 (3.43) than the rest of the treatment groups. Dietary sodium diformate
had no significant influence on the carcass characteristics viz. eviscerated weight,
ready-to-cook weight, heart yield, liver yield, gizzard yield, giblets yield in broilers.
However, the group T6 recorded better eviscerated and ready-to-cook yield
percentage compared to other treatment groups. The sodium diformate
supplemented group recorded comparatively lower abdominal fat yield (1.09-1.16 %).
Dietary supplementation of sodium diformate had no significant influence on
the physical properties of meat quality of broilers reared in environmentally controlled
housing system. The pH of the breast and thigh muscle ranged between 5.74 and
6.07 and 6.21 and 6.36 respectively. At 35 days of age, irrespective of dietary
treatments, the water holding capacity was higher in the thigh muscle than the breast
muscle in broilers. Feeding of sodium diformate to broilers did not influence the litter
moisture and pH during the study period. There was an increase in the litter moisture
percentage and decrease in the pH of the litter material at the end of the
experimental period when compared to the beginning of the experimental period.
Supplementation of sodium diformate to broilers had significant influence on the litter
microbial load at five weeks of age. The total bacterial count in litter was significantly
(P<0.05) lower in the group T6 (5.44) than the rest of the treatment groups. Except
the control group (5.46), the other groups recorded significantly (P<0.05) lower E.coli
count. There was no salmonella recorded in the groups T4, T5 and T6 when
compared to the other groups. The sodium diformate and oxytetracycline
supplemented groups revealed no clostridial count at the end of the experimental
period. Similarly, the sodium diformate supplemented groups recorded significantly
lower or nil intestinal bacterial count (E. coli, salmonella and clostridial count).
The group supplemented with sodium diformate at 0.2 per cent level had
significantly increased villus length (2178.97 μm) followed by groups T5 (1860.55 μm)
and T4 (1780.77 μm). At the end of the experimental period, the total feed cost per
bird was highest in the group T5 (Rs.90.71). Production cost per kg live weight was
comparatively lower in sodium diformate supplemented groups. The net profit per
bird in sodium diformate supplemented groups was comparatively higher than the
oxytetracycline fed and control group. The net profit per kg broiler was highest in
group T6 (Rs.16.99).
Based on the above results, it could be concluded that sodium diformate may
be included at 0.15 and 0.2 per cent level in the diet of broilers for getting better
production performance and net profit
Description
TNV_THE_Y2015_MVN13017
Keywords
Veterinary Science, Poultry Science