Influence of Sodium Acetate, Sodium Propionate and their Combination on Nutrient Digestibility and Blood Profile of Broiler Starters

Abstract

In a 21-day feeding trial, the effects of sodium acetate, sodium propionate and their combination on nutrient digestibility and blood profile of broiler starter was investigated. Two hundred and forty one-day old Arbor Acre broiler chicks were randomly distributed into five treatments with six replicates of eight birds each in a completely randomised design. Treatment 1 was a basal diet with no supplement while treatment 2 comprised of 0.01% oxytetracycline. Treatments 3 and 4 had 0.4% sodium acetate and 0.4% sodium propionate respectively while treatment 5 contained 0.4% sodium acetate + 0.4% sodium propionate. At day 21, 5mL of blood sample was collected from 2 birds per replicate for haematological and serum biochemical analyses. On day 16, two birds per replicate were housed individually in metabolic cages and allowed to acclimatize for three days. On days 19 to 21, excreta samples were collected, weighed, pooled on replicate basis and dried for nutrient digestibility assay. Ether extract digestibility coefficients of birds fed antibiotic and sodium propionate diets differ significantly but were similar to birds on the other treatment groups. Significantly lower (P˂0.05) packed cell volume was observed in birds fed sodium acetate compared with those on other diets. Haemoglobin concentration on birds on sodium acetate was similar to those fed combination of sodium acetate + sodium propionate. Significantly (P˂0.05) higher red blood cells were observed in birds on sodium acetate supplemented diet. Lymphocytes counts of birds on basal diet and antibiotic diet were higher than birds fed sodium acetate diet and sodium acetate + sodium propionate supplemented diet. Albumin concentration of birds on sodium acetate and sodium propionate diets were identical with birds fed other dietary treatments. Phosphorus concentration in birds on basal, antibiotic or sodium acetate supplemented diets were significantly (P˂0.05) lower than birds on the other treatments. Alanine amino transferase concentration was high in birds fed sodium acetate + sodium propionate diet compared to birds on other diets. It can be concluded that sodium acetate and sodium propionate can be considered as viable alternatives to antibiotics in broiler starter diets in terms of improved blood metabolites.

Keywords: Organic salts, Nutrient digestibility coefficient, Blood constituents, Broiler chicken