EFFECT OF CITRIC ACID, ACETIC ACID AND THEIR COMBINATION ON GROWTH AND MEAT YIELD PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKEN

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate the effects of feeding citric acid and acetic acid on live weight gain, feed consumption, FCR, meat yield traits of commercial broilers. A total of 108 day old broiler chicks (Cobb 500) fed diets T0, T1, T2 and T3 having three replications in each.T0 (Basal diet with no supplemental acid), T1 (Basal diet with 0.75% citric acid), T2 (Basal diet with 0.75% acetic acid) and T3 (Basal diet with 0.75% citric acid and 0.75% acetic acid).The birds were reared in cage management system. Body weight gains, feed conversion ratio (FCR), mortality and meat yield traits were recorded. The collected data were analyzed in CRD by using the SPSS software. Feed intake (g/bird) was almost similar (P>0.05) among the dietary groups. Body weight gain (gm) and FCR were significantly (P<0.05) different among the dietary groups. The highest body weight gain (gm) was (P<0.05) in T1 (1512.37gm), followed by T3 (1496.30gm) and T2 (1470.40gm) and T0 (1325.47gm) respectively. The lowest FCR was found in T1 (1.40) and the highest FCR in T0 (1.52), the intermediate in T2 (1.43) and T3 (1.41) respectively. It was found that there was significant (P<0.05) difference among the dietary groups in case of carcass weight (gm).live weight (gm),thigh weight (gm), breast weight(gm) but there was almost similar(P>0.05) among the dietary groups for heart weight (gm), spleen weight(gm), gizzard weight(gm), head weight(gm) and intestine weight (gm). Carcass weight in T1 (905gm) and live weight T1 (1496.67gm) were significantly (P<0.05) different compared to control T0 (668gm) and T0 (1160.67gm) respectively. No mortality was found among the dietary groups during experimental period.