Stocking density of broilers can vary significantly depending on bird size, diet, breed, feed area, waterer area, pen dimensions, bird welfare and economic return. Today, modern broiler houses allow higher densities as long as the environment is properly maintained. The use of organic acids can further reduce inflammatory responses and improve gut health and growth performance.
High stocking density (HSD) in broiler production is often used in intensive or commercial poultry farming to maximize production efficiency and optimize the use of resources such as space, feed and labor. While HSD can lead to increased production, it can also contribute to many significant challenges, such as respiratory problems, increased stress and aggression, impaired gut health and leg disorders, all of which impact bird health and welfare.
To manage the challenges associated with HSD in broiler production, producers need to find a balance between maximizing production and ensuring the health and welfare of the animals by using appropriate management practices, including adequate ventilation, disease control and appropriate nutrition. Adding feed additives to the diet can be a strategy to achieve the goal of maximizing the weight of chickens produced per square meter while preventing production losses due to overcrowding.
Organic acids have been found to ameliorate the negative effects of high stocking density stress in broilers through restoration of the gut microbiota, reduction of inflammation, inhibition of the NF-kB signaling pathway, and increase in short-chain fatty acid production. Researchers used a clever blend of short- and medium-chain fatty acids to develop Selko’s Selacid Green Growth. Its inclusion in broiler feed provides a means to more effectively manage stress, maintain gut health and achieve growth performance.
Cost of HSD stress
Poultry raised in HSD production systems are exposed to increased stress, which can negatively affect production efficiency and growth. Stressed birds may experience increased inflammation and poor gut health; This can lead to leaky intestines or damage to tight junctions, allowing harmful bacteria to enter the bloodstream.
HSD can negatively affect the gut microbiota balance and lead to dysbiosis, which can lead to increased antibiotic use. Dysbiosis in broilers is estimated to inhibit feed conversion (FCR) by an average of around 0.05, regardless of coccidiosis. Given the challenges presented by HSD systems, it is important to find alternative solutions to maintain bird health and growth in the face of production stress and without dependence on antibiotics prophylactically.
How acids work
The crop serves as the initial site of fermentation within the gastrointestinal tract, and its pH can be affected by feed ingredients and play a role in providing desirable conditions for beneficial bacteria and undesirable conditions for pathogens. Additionally, diets with high buffer capacity can limit acidity in the foregut, allowing pathogenic bacteria to proliferate, and reduce the activity of digestive enzymes, allowing more undigested protein to reach the hindgut, creating inflammation and gut health problems.
This can also reduce bird performance and cause wet litter. As a preventative strategy, the addition of organic acids can increase nutrient utilization in broilers, as well as helping the foregut maintain the level of acidity required to support ‘good’ bacteria and resist colonization by pathogenic bacteria.
What does science say?
In a study examining the effect of high stocking density on poultry production with basic diet and diet supplemented with organic acids, 528 birds were divided into 3 production systems. One group was raised in a low stocking density environment (positive control), the second group was raised in a high stocking density environment (negative control), and the third group was raised in a high stocking density environment where the diet was supplemented with blended organic acid feed. contribution. Birds were evaluated for growth performance, intestinal barrier and gut microbiota, microbial metabolites and stress response indicators.
Birds reared without any nutritional supplementation in the HSD condition showed increased levels of several stress indicators, including higher levels of serum corticosterone lipopolysaccharides, downregulated expression of interleukin-1 β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and ZO-1. growth performance. In comparison, bird diets supplemented with organic acid mixture (Selacid Green Growth) resulted in lower levels of serum corticosterone, lipopolysaccharides, interleukin-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α, as well as upregulated mRNA expression of interleukin-10 and ZO. Improved growth performance compared to -1 and negative control group birds. Additionally, in supplemented birds Bacteroidetes and restored balance to the microbial ecosystem compared to stressed, unsupplemented birds. Birds receiving the organic acid mixture also showed higher levels of acetic and butyric acids, which have a significant correlation with markers of intestinal inflammation.
Overall, the trial demonstrated that Selacid Green Growth may play a role in mediating HSD-induced inflammatory responses and restoring gut microbial composition and growth performance; this demonstrates the positive effect of a nutritional strategy to alleviate HSD-induced stress in broilers.
Blending for impact, efficiency and economy
In a second trial, broiler growth performance and feed conversion were examined for 975 broilers in antibiotic-free production. Birds were fed 1 of 3 diets for 35 days: control feed, feed supplemented with sodium butyrate additive, or feed containing an organic acid mixture. Broilers fed organic acid supplemented feed showed a better feed conversion ratio, a better European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) and had a higher average body weight at the end of the trial. EPEF or European broiler index is a production indicator calculated using average daily gain, survival percentage, feed conversion ratio, excluding first week mortality.
References on request.