title: Relative efficacy of organic acids and antibiotics as growth promoters in broiler chicken.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of organic acids as replacer to antibiotics in their various combinations on feed consumption, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in broiler chicks during different phases of growth.
  
  
  METHODS
  Antibiotics and organic acids were incorporated into boiler feed in different combinations to form 10 maize based test diets (T1 to T10). Each test diet was offered to four replicates of 10 birds each constituting a total of 400 birds kept for 45 days.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly better effect in terms of body weight gain from supplementation of 1% citric acid and 1% citric acid along with antibiotic was observed throughout the entire study, whereas the effect of tartaric acid supplementation was similar to control group. Citric acid (1%) along with antibiotic supplementation showed highest feed intake during the experimental period. Significantly better FCR was observed in groups supplemented with 1% citric acid and 1% citric acid along with antibiotic followed by antibiotic along with organic acids supplemented group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Growth performance of birds in terms of body weight, body weight gain, and FCR improved significantly in 1% citric acid which was significantly higher than antibiotic supplemented group. 1% citric acid can effectively replace antibiotic growth promoter (chlortetracycline) without affecting growth performance of birds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Vikrant Laxman
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Bagal
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Vinod Kumar
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Khatta
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Nutrition, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Bachu Singh
authors.initials: BS
authors.lastname: Tewatia
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Genetics and Breeding, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Sandeep Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Sangwan
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Product and Technology, Lala Lajpat Rai University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Hisar, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Subhash Shamrao
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Raut
keywords: antibiotics; broilers; economics; growth promoters and organic acids