Effects of water acidification on growth response and serum biochemical indices of broiler chicken

Abstract

An experiment was conducted with 180 unsexed day-old Arbor acre breed of broilers to evaluate the effects of water acidification on the growth response and serum biochemical indices of broiler chicken in a 49 days feeding trial. The birds were randomly distributed into 5 dietary treatments of 36 birds per treatment which were further distributed into 3 replicates in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The birds in control (T₁) were served with ordinary water (i.e water without any organic acid), while other groups were served with acidified water containing 4% Acetic acid (T₂), 4% Citric acid (T₃), 4% Formic acid (T₄) and 4% Lactic acid (T₅) respectively. All birds were vaccinated while only the control group (T₁) was medicated with antibiotics. Data were collected on weight gain, feed intake, and water intake, while blood sample were collected for serum biochemical assay. The results of growth response revealed significant differences (P<0.05) in the values obtained for final weight, weight gain, feed intake and average daily water consumption, while all other parameters were not significant (P>0.05). Final weight ranged (1.90 – 1.56kg/bird), weight gain (1.79 – 1.42kg/bird), Feed intake (4.16-4.70kg), daily water intake (87.10- 129.22ml/bird/day). Among the serum biochemical indices evaluated only Alanine amino transferase (ALT), glucose, cholesterol and uric acid were significantly influenced by the dietary treatment. It can therefore be concluded that serving broiler chicken with water containing 4% citric acid compared favourably with the control in terms of growth response. Also serving broilers with acidified water does not have any detrimental effects on their serum biochemical indices.

Key words: Growth response, Serum, water acidification, organic acid.