Effects of Acidifier Supplementation and Toxin Binder on Performance, Carcass, Blood Metabolites, Intestinal Morphology, and Microbial Population in Broiler Chickens

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of acidifier (in drinking water) and toxin binder on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, blood metabolites, microbial population and intestinal morphology of broiler chickens. A total of 256 one-day old broiler chickens were distributed in four treatments with four replicates per each. The experimental treatments were: 1) control group (without acidifier and toxin binder), 2) group supplemented with acidifier, 3) group supplemented with toxin binder and 4) group supplemented with both acidifier and toxin binder. At 24 and 42 days of age, four birds per each treatment were selected and carcass traits, blood metabolites, microbial population and intestinal morphology were determined. The results showed that the experimental treatments had no significant effect on the growth performance of broiler chickens. The liver and heart weight was higher in broilers that received toxin binder (P<0.05). The experimental treatments did not alter the immune response and microbial population of the broiler chickens. The results indicated that the lowest serum concentration of cholesterol and triglyceride was observed in broiler chickens received treatment acidifier in combination with toxin binder (P<0.05). However, the birds fed toxin binder had a lower serum concentration of total protein, uric acid and liver enzyme activity (P<0.05). In the intestinal morphology, use of acidifier in combination with toxin binder improved the intestinal morphological traits in broiler chickens (P<0.05). On the basis of the present results, it can be used acidifier in combination with toxin binder in broiler chickens without any negative effect on the growth performance.