The effect of fat-coated organic acid salts and a feed enzyme on growth performance, nutrient utilization, microflora activity, and morphology of the small intestine in broiler chickens

The efficacy of two fat-coated organic acid preparations added alone or in combination with a commercial feed enzyme to a wheat-and soyabean meal-based broiler diet was investigated. Fat-coated sodium butyrate (SB) and blend G composed of fumaric acid, calcium formate, calcium propionate and potassium sorbite were used. Each preparation was added at 1 g/kg diets cold pelleted. Two hundred 40-day-old Cobb broiler females were allocated to 6 groups, 40 in each, and fed experimental diets from the first day of life to slaughter. Histomorphometry of the jejunum and ileum was performed on eight 8-d-old chicks per group, performance was measured from day 8 to 21 of life on 16 chickens kept in individual cages per group, while the balance trial was conducted using 9 chickens per group. Measurements of digesta pH in the crop, stomach, jejunum and caecum were taken in 30-day-old birds. Additionally, viscosity of ileal digesta and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations in caecal digesta were determined.