Animal nutrition as a scientific
field is based on many basic sciences, such as chemistry, biochemistry,
physiology and even microbiology. In this relation broiler production
is one of the economic ways for protein supply. Regarding more than
32 antimicrobial compounds which is used in poultry production without
any prescriptions and entering these compounds in human nutrition is
considered more seriously. Recent advances in this field suggest using
pre- and pro-biotics are more beneficial than antibiotics and have fewer
disadvantages. This study was conducted to compare the effects of using
an organic acid (citric acid) and natural additive (APC) on broiler
performance and its relation with gut circumstances. 960 sexed Ross
308 chicken in a completely randomized design test in 6 groups with
4 replicates received corn-soybean meal based diet (control, group C)
supplemented with 2% citric acid (group B) or 0.2% APC (group A). Body
weight (BW), feed conversion ratio (FCR), duodenum and jejunum pH, ileum
microflora, gut histological changes and serum gamma globulin were evaluated
on days 21 and 42. Analyzed results and compared means by Duncan`s range
test showed that microflora content of the intestine is dynamically
changed by adding these compounds and decreasing the pH of intestine
significantly (p< 0.05) affects broiler performance and other parameters
by acting on microbial population of digestive system. PDFCitation
How to cite this article
H.R. Rahmani and W. Speer, 2005. Natural Additives Influence the Performance and
Humoral Immunity of Broilers . International Journal of Poultry Science, 4: 713-717.