Effect of Organic Acids Blend, MicroEncapsulated Phyto-Essential Oils Individually or in Combination on Growth Performance, Gut Health and Nutrients Utilization of Broilers

This study was planned to investigate the effect of organic acids blend and micro-encapsulated phytoessential oils individually or in combination as a replacement of antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) on growth performance, lymphoid organs weight, gut pH, microbiota, apparent metabolizable energy and nutrient digestibility of broilers. A total of six hundred, day-old healthy broiler chicks (Cobb 500) were procured from a local hatchery and were randomly allocated to five different dietary treatments. A basal diet formulated with corn-soybean meal (CON; without any additives) served as control diet and fed to birds in control group. Birds in other four groups were given same basal diet mixed either with zinc bacitracin (150 mg/kg diet; ZB-150); organic acids (200 mg/kg feed; OA-200); essential oil (150 mg/kg feed; EO-150) and or a combination of organic acid (OA) and essential oil (EO) at rate 200 and 150 mg/ kg, respectively. Body weight gain was significantly (P<0.05) enhanced by all different dietary treatments compared to birds in controlled group. Lymphoid organs weight was higher (P<0.05) in birds in groups (OA-200, EO-150 and OA+EO). Log CUF count of Lactobacillus were significantly increased and that of Escherichia coli and Salmonella were decreased by birds in group OA-200, EO-150 and OA+EO both at day-21- and 35 compared to control and ZB treated groups. Apparent ileal digestibility of all different nutrients and apparent metabolizable energy investigated in present study was significantly improved by all different dietary treatments compared to control group. These findings demonstrate that the strategic application of organic acids, micro-encapsulated phyto-essential oils individually and or in combination could potentially replace the antibiotic growth promoters in broiler production without compromising production performance and other parameters of economic importance.