Effect of Citric Acid Supplementation on the Performance of Broilers

One hundred and ninety two, day old straight run broiler chicks (Hubbard Classic) were randomly distributed into six groups, with four replications of 8 birds in each. Corn-soybean based starter diet was fed to the birds in control group (group 1) whereas diets of groups 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 were fortified with 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8 and 1.0% citric acid (CA), respectively. Live weight increased (P>0.05) (+4.9%) by 0.8% on supplementation of CA, whereas performance lowered (−4.4%) at 1% level of CA. Feed intake was highest (P>0.05) at 0.2% CA treated group whereas higher level of CA (1.0%) decreased feed intake. Feed conversion efficiency (FCE) was also affected by CA and the best FCE was recorded at 0.4% CA supplemented group (P>0.05). Better carcass yield was found at 0.8% CA and control followed by other groups (P>0.05). Increased level of citric acid gradually reduced the pH of feed (P<0.05) but reduction was not observed when faeces were tested (P>0.05). Supplementation of CA with commercial diet reduced production cost (P>0.05) which was not significant from the economic point of view but it had greater importance in minimizing infection in birds which decreased mortality. Several feed additives as growth promoters are continuously used in commercial diets to optimize the performance which made the effect of CA invisible. So, the use of CA in commercial diet did not affect the performance however, it could be beneficial with homemade rations.