This study focused on the impact of sodium formate, acetate, and propionate as feed additives on broiler chicken performance, carcass characteristics, blood biochemical parameters, immunological condition, and gastrointestinal health. Total of 240 male Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly divided into four groups, each with six replicates of 10 chicks. Group I fed diet consisted of a basic diet with no additives (control). Groups II, III, and IV fed diets consisted of a control diet supplemented with 1.5g sodium formate/Kg (SF), 1.5g sodium acetate/Kg (SA), and 1.5g sodium propionate/Kg (SP), respectively. When compared to the control, the addition of organic acid salts (OAS’s) significantly (P<0.05) enhanced weight gain and feed efficiency. Dietary supplementation with OAS’s enhanced significantly (P<0.01) the weight of carcass and dressing percentages of birds. The liver, heart, gizzard, and spleen were unchanged (% of body weight). Birds fed diets enriched with SF or SP had considerably (P<0.05) longer and wider guts than the control group, and scored zero in intestinal lesions scale. The addition of SF or SP were significantly enhanced (P<0.05) the lactobacillus count when compared to the control, while the quantity of Clostridium perfringens intestinal colonization was not exist. When OAS’s were introduced to broiler diets, total protein, globulin, albumin/globulin, T3, T4, and total antioxidant capacity levels were dramatically increased, while alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and urea levels remained not affected. Adding SF, SA, or SP to broiler diets significantly improved immunological state (P<0.05) via enhancing avian influenza (H5) and Newcastle disease (ND) titers. Accordingly, OAS’s as natural feed additives could improve broiler performance and immunological state. Chicks fed SF or SP had the best productive performance, immunological status, digestive parameters, and microbiota.
Keywords | Blood parameters, Broiler chicks, Gut health, Immune status, Organic acids salts, Productive performance