Comparative efficacy of organic acids and antibiotics as growth promoter in broiler chicks
Abstract
The study was conducted in order to assess effect of organic acids and antibiotic as growth promoter in broiler chicks.
A total of 400 commercial straight run broiler chicks were divided into ten groups having four replicates consisting of
ten birds each. A corn-soybean-based diet was used as the basal diet (Control). The basal diet was supplemented with
organic acid (Citric acid and tartaric acid @ 0.5% and1%, and antibiotic (Chlortetracycline @ 0.0335%) alone or in
combination. Significantly higher(P < 0.05) body weight gains were attained in two groups-citric acid(1%)-fed chicks
(2553.3gm.) as well as chlortetracycline along with citric acid(1%; 2614.4g) fed chicks as compared to control chicks
(2,235.6 g). The antibiotic and organic acid combination -fed chicks showed significantly (P < 0.05) higher body
weight gain than control, 0.5% citric acid and tartaric acid (@ 0.5% and1% concentrations) but significantly (P <
0.05)lower than citric acid(1%) and chlortetracycline along with 1% citric acid. Total feed intake was higher in
chlortetracycline along with 1% citric as compared to other groups. The addition of 1% citric acid improved feed
conversion ratio significantly (P < 0.05) as compared to control group. Supplementation of basal diet with 1% citric
acid produced significantly (P < 0.05) higher dressing percentage as compared to basal diet. Other treatments had no
significant difference with control and1% citric acid. Basal diet supplemented with antibiotic +1 % citric acid (T4) and
1% citric acid (T6) showed significantly(P<0.05) higher nutrient metabolisability than all other treatment groups.
Addition of citric and tartaric acid reduced the pH of upper digestive tract. Significantly (P>0.05) lower total microbial
count was observed in T4 (antibiotic +1% citric acid) and T6 (1% citric acid).Cost of production of organic acid
supplementation compared to control was highest and considerably higher profit was obtained than that of control.
Supplementation of citric acid @ 1% in the diet had positive effects on growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, carcass
yield and nutrient metabolisability of broilers. Therefore, citric acid (1%) might be a useful additive instead of
antibiotic growth promoters such as chlortetracycline without affecting the performance and health status of broilers.