Interaction of acidified sodium chlorite with dietary energy and feed enzymes in broiler chicken

Abstract

In today's world, there is need to sanitize feeds and enhance energy utilization from available feed resources in poultry. So the present experiment was conducted to study the interaction of acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) with dietary energy and feed enzymes in broiler chicken. Twelve diets with two energy levels (2800 and 3000 kcal/kg) each treated with 0, 100 and 250 ppm of ASC and with or without addition of feed enzymes (30 g per quintal) were formulated following a 2×2×3 factorial design. Each dietary treatment was offered to respective group, having 4 replicates of 8 chicks in each. Results revealed that feed energy level accrued significant variation (P < 0.001) in live weight and the birds which received 3000 kcal/kg energy had significantly (P < 0.001) higher body weight. The feed intake was not affected by either the level of dietary energy or exogenous enzyme supplementation but ASC level at 250 ppm suppressed feed intake. The pH and water holding capacity of meat samples was similar amongst all the treatment groups, however, ASC treatment increased thio-barbituric acid reactive substance value (P < 0.001) in a dose dependent manner. Higher dietary energy also increased the weight of spleen and improved humoral immunity. From this study, it may be concluded the zoo-technical performance and immunocompetence was significantly better in birds offered higher energy feed and apparently no interaction was observed between ASC, dietary energy level and feed enzymes. On the other hand oxidative stability of meat was compromised at higher level of ASC.