broiler chicken, organic acids, performance, gut health, carcass characteristics
Abstract
The aim of the study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation of organic acids on the performance, gut health and carcass characteristics of broiler chicken. Results indicated that the birds fed diets supplemented with organic acids showed significantly (p<0.05) higher body weight gains and feed conversion ratio. Maximum improvement was achieved in the group fed 3% fumaric acid in the diet. Differences in the cumulative feed consumption were non-significant (p>0.05) among all the treatment groups. Addition of organic acids in broiler diets increased the villus height in all the segments of small intestines but the differences were non-significant (p>0.05) in case of ileum. No effect (p>0.05) on carcass characteristics was observed among all treatments except for length and weight of small intestines which were significantly (p<0.05) increased in the groups fed supplemental organic acids.
