Effect of Acetic Acid and Sodium Bicarbonate Supplemented to Drinking Water on Water Quality, Growth Performance, Organ Weights, Cecal Traits and Hematological Parameters of Young Broilers

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of acetic acid and sodium bicarbonate supplemented to drinking water on water quality, growth performance, relative organ weights, cecal traits and hematological parameters of broilers, a total of 456 one-day-old Cobb MV × Cobb 500 FF mixed broilers were randomly placed in three experimental treatments, with four replicates per treatment and 38 birds per replicate, for 10 days. The treatments consisted of the use of acetic acid (0.4%; T1) as acidifier, an apparently neutral pH (T2) and sodium bicarbonate (1%; T3) as alkalizer of the drinking water. T3 showed the highest values (p < 0.05) for total dissolved solids, electrical conductivity, salinity and pH. T1 and T2 showed the same productive response (p > 0.05); however, T3 decreased (p < 0.05) body weight, feed intake and the relative weight of the pancreas and immune organs and increased (p < 0.05) water intake, mortality and relative weight of the heart and liver. Likewise, T3 increased (p < 0.05) the cecal pH, although without changes for the cecal lactic cecal bacteria count and blood parameters (p > 0.05). The acid pH of the drinking water had no effect on the biological response of broilers compared to T2; however, the T3 provoked high mortality, ascites, low productivity and abnormal growth of some organs.

Investigation of the Effect of Three Commercial Water Acidifiers on the Performance, Gut Health, and Campylobacter jejuni Colonization in Experimentally Challenged Broiler Chicks

“…It is suggested that broilers receiving acidified water from the first days of their life would be less susceptible to colonization by enteric pathogens after exposure, due to alterations in the host gut microenvironment and the host immune system [ 59 ]. However, various parameters, including the type of acidic agents employed, dosage scheme, water quality, feed buffering capacity, feed ingredients, host microbiota composition, and general health of birds, as well as general farm management, might all have an impact on the efficacy of commercial formulas and, thereby, occasionally lead to unfavourable outcomes [ 60 , 61 , 62 , 63 ].…”

Antimicrobial and immunomodulatory effects of tannic acid supplementation in broilers infected with Salmonella Typhimurium

“…Typhimurium infection primarily impacts this age group, compromising their growth performance, gut health, and immunity ( Alkie et al, 2019 ; Ibrahim et al, 2021 ). Impaired growth and gut health in the early broiler stage due to S. Typhimurium infection can negatively affect flock performance ( Martínez et al, 2021 ). While S .…”

Effect of Olive Leaves Hydroalcoholic Extract (Olea Europaea L.) and LactoFeed® probiotics on Induced Ascites in Male Broilers

“…Ascites are more typical in fastgrowing male broilers reared at high altitudes and are slightly affected by cold stress (Özkan et al, 2010). However, infectious agents such as Aspergillosis, E. coli, and bronchitis virus also induce ascites syndrome (Julian, 2000), which is known as a complication of right ventricular dysfunction (Martínez et al, 2021).…”