Effects of Formic Acid Administration in the Drinking Water on Performance, Intestinal Microflora and Carcass Contamination in Male Broilers under High Ambient Temperature

Abstract

In this study, we examined the effects of formic acid administration to the drinking water on performance, intestinal microflora and carcass contamination in male broilers. A total of 312 day-old male broiler chicks were allocated to two groups with three replicates. The first group (control) received normal drinking water (pH 7.4) during the experiment. The second group consumed acidified drinking water (pH 4.5) after 5 d of age. At 43 d of age, twelve birds were randomly selected from the control group to determine the effect of acidified drinking water on carcass contamination. These birds were only given normal or acidified (pH 3) drinking water for 8 h prior to slaughter. The reduction of water pH from 7.4 to 4.5 significantly decreased body weights of male broilers at 21 and 42 d of age. However, no differences were observed between male broilers given normal and acidified drinking water in terms of feed intake, feed conversion ratio and mortality. The pH value of the gizzard contents was not significantly affected by acid water treatment. There were no significant differences in the intestinal population of E. coli, total organism and Salmonella between the groups. The total organism and E. coli counts of the carcass slightly decreased in the acidified group. No Salmonella was identified in carcass samples of any of the treatment groups. The results showed that drinking water acidification did not provide beneficial effects on performance, intestinal microflora and carcass contamination in male broilers.

Studying the effect of formic acid and potassium diformate on performance, immunity and gut health of broiler chickens

“…(2010) found that dietary supplementation of organic acid mixtures (fumaric acid, calcium format, calcium propionate, potassium sorbate, calcium butyrate, calcium lactate and hydrogenated vegetable oil) is more efficient than the antibiotic growth promoter (Enramycin) in decreasing intestinal E. coli and Salmonella spp. Different studies by ( Byrd et al., 2001 , Açkgöz et al., 2011 , Hamed and Hassan, 2013 ) indicated that addition of organic acid to the drinking water helps to reduce the level of pathogens in the water and the crop/proventriculus, to regulate gut micro flora. It is believed that the organic acid administration in feed or water mainly metabolized and absorbed in the upper gastro-intestinal segments of poultry as recorded by ( Thompson and Hinton, 1997 , Van Immerseel et al., 2006 , Hassan et al., 2010 ).…”

Effect of Citric and Acetic Acid Water Acidification on Broiler’s Performance with respect to Thyroid Hormones Levels

“…The control group (C-gr) received basal diet and tap water. Citric acid group (CAgr) received basal diet and acidified drinking water (pH 4.5) (Açıkgözet et al, 2011) with CA monohydrate (Sigma, Australia). Acetic acid group (AA-gr) received basal diet and acidified drinking water of pH= 4.5 (Açıkgözet et al, 2011) with AA (El Gomhoria Co., Egypt).…”

Formic Acid as an Antimicrobial for Poultry Production: A Review

“…The presence of lactic acid bacteria in the crop is considered a barrier to Salmonella spp., so disrupting this resident crop microbiota could be problematic for achieving a successful reduction in Salmonella GIT colonization (144). Less impact may occur in the lower part of the avian GIT as Açikgöz et al (145) did not detect differences in total intestinal bacteria or E. coli in 42-day-old broilers receiving formic acid acidified water. As the authors speculated, this might be due to the formic acid being metabolized in the upper part of the GIT as noted by others for externally introduced SCFA (128, 129).…”