اثر سطوح مختلف اسیدیفایر در آب آشامیدنی روی عملکرد رشد، برخی فراسنجه‌های خونی و جمعیت میکروبی سکوم جوجه‌های گوشتی

نوع مقاله : مقاله پژوهشی

نویسندگان

• سیدرضا میرکریمی ¹
• محسن حاجی پور ¹
• زهرا محبوبی ²

¹ گروه علوم دامی، دانشکده کشاورزی ، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی قائمشهر، ساری، ایران

² گروه علوم دامی، دانشکده کشاورزی، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی ورامین پیشوا، ایران.

چکیده

کلیدواژه‌ها

• اسیدهای آلی
• عملکرد رشد
• جمعیت میکروبی سکوم
• جوجه گوشتی

موضوعات

• تغذیه دام و طیور

عنوان مقاله [English]

The effect of different levels of acidifier in drinking water on growth performance, certain blood parameters, and cecal microbial population in broiler chickens

نویسندگان [English]

• Seyed Reza Mirkarimi ¹
• Mohsen Hajipour ¹
• zahra Mahboubi ²

کلیدواژه‌ها [English]

• Organic acids
• Growth performance
• Cecal microbial population
• Broiler chicken

Extended Abstract

Introduction

The risks associated with antibiotics have prompted researchers and poultry industry stakeholders to seek a suitable alternative to antibiotics that can stimulate rapid growth in broiler chickens while posing fewer threats to the health of farm animals and, consequently, the well-being of the final consumer (humans). The disruption of the microbial balance in the digestive system of animals consuming antibiotics and their feed eliminates the benefits of antibiotics for the host animals. When antibiotics are used in poultry diets, there is a possibility of transferring antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains to humans, which can result in humans becoming resistant to certain types of therapeutic antibiotics. Another disadvantage of using antibiotics in poultry diets is that they increase the pH of the gastrointestinal contents, thus hindering the digestion and absorption of better-processed nutrients in an acidic environment.

Materials and methods

   To investigate the effects of different levels of acidifier in drinking water on growth performance, specific blood parameters, and cecal microbial population in broiler chickens, 240 one-day-old (mixed-sex) broiler chickens (Ross 308 strain) were randomly assigned to 4 treatments with six replicates each, and 10 birds per cage for a 42-day rearing period. The experimental diets included: 1) control (no acidifier), 2) 200 ml acidifier in 1000 liters of drinking water, 3) 400 ml acidifier in 1000 liters of drinking water, and 4) 600 ml acidifier in 1000 liters of drinking water. Weighing of chicks and also measuring the amounts of feed consumed (in mesh form) was done for all experimental units during the periods of 1 to 10 days, 11 to 24 days, and 25 to 42 days.These data were used to calculate daily weight gain (BWG), daily feed consumption, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) for the specified periods. To investigate the characteristics of carcass parts and the microbial population of the cecum of broiler chickens, at the end of the experiment (42 days of age), one male and one female chicken were selected from each replicate with a body weight close to the average weight of the replicate. After 4 to 5 hours of starvation (to minimize the effect of the weight of the digestive tract contents and emptying), they were weighed again and slaughtered by the neck-splitting method.

Results and Discussion

   The results showed that in feed consumption, the treatments containing 400 and 600 ml of acidifier had the highest feed consumption during the starter, finisher, and total periods compared to the control group and the treatment with 200 ml of acidifier (p<0.05). In body weight gain, the treatments containing 400 and 600 ml of acidifier had the highest body weight gain during the starter, grower, and total periods compared to the control group and the treatment with 200 ml of acidifier (p<0.05). In feed conversion ratio, the treatments containing 400 and 600 ml of acidifier had the lowest feed conversion ratio during the grower period compared to the control group and the treatment with 200 ml of acidifier (p<0.05). In carcass traits, the treatments containing 400 and 600 ml of acidifier had the highest carcass percentage, breast percentage, and thigh percentage compared to the control group and the treatment with 200 milliliters of acidifier (p<0.05). In blood parameters, the treatments containing 200, 400, and 600 ml of acidifier had the highest glucose and HDL concentrations, as well as the lowest blood triglyceride concentration compared to the control group (p<0.05). In the cecal microbiota population, the treatments containing 200, 400, and 600 ml of acidifier had the lowest coliform bacteria populations compared to the control group (p<0.05).

Conclusion

Overall, the results of this study indicated that adding an acidifier at levels of 400 and 600 ml in drinking water improved growth performance, carcass quantitative traits, and reduced coliform bacteria populations in the ceca of broiler chicks.

Author Contributions

Seyed Reza Mirkarimi, Mohsen Hajipour, and Zahra Mahboubi contributed to conception, design, data collection, statistical analysis, and drafting of the manuscript. All authors approved the final version for submission.

Data Availability Statement

This article contains all the data that were created or evaluated during the research.

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to sincerely thank the members of Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Qaemshahr Islamic Azad University for the approval and support of this research.

Ethical considerations

All of the protocols were approved by the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine's Committee on the Ethics of Animal Experiments at Qaemshahr Islamic Azad University (IR-10721435972006).

Conflict of interest

The author declares no conflict of interest.