A study on the profitability of broiler chicken fed diets supplemented with organic acids

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation of dietary organic acid on the performance and profitability in broiler chicken utilizing 315 Cobb commercial broiler chicks randomly assigned into seven groups having three replicates of 15 chicks each. The control (T₁) group birds were fed basal diet whereas birds in other treatment groups were fed basal diet supplemented with 2% butyric acid (T), 3% butyric acid (T), 2% fumaric acid (T), 3% fumaric acid (T), 2% lactic acid (T) and 3% lactic acid (T). Results revealed that the birds fed diets supplemented with organic acids had significantly (P<0.05) higher body weight gains. Higher live weight and body weight gain was observed in the group fed fumaric acid at 3% level in the diet. Cumulative feed consumption was decreased (P<0.05) in the groups fed supplemental organic acids compared to control group which had highest feed intake. Supplementation of organic acids improved (P<0.05) the feed conversion ratio (FCR) as against the birds fed basal diet without organic acids. The dietary supplementation of all the organic acids were found economically better than the control group except the group fed 3% butyric acid based diet. An extra profit of Rs. 3.49 per chick was achieved in the group fed diet supplemented with 2% fumaric acid followed by Rs. 2.87 in the group fed 2% lactic acid in the diet.