Effect of different levels of organic acids in the diets of hens on laying performance, egg quality criteria, blood parameters, and intestinal histomorphology

Abstract

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the effects of different levels (1.5, 3.0, 4.5 g/kg) of organic acid mixture (OAM) (60% formic acid, 20% propionic acid, and 20% soft acid) supplementation in the diets of laying hens on egg production, egg quality parameters, and intestinal histomorphology. Seventy-two Lohman strains of layers (26-week-old) were divided into four treatment groups. The hens were fed either a control diet or the control diet supplemented with 0, 1.5, 3 or 4.5 kg/t level of OAM from 26 to 38 weeks of age. The OAM supplementation did not affect feed consumption, egg production, egg weight, feed conversion ratio and body weight. Except for yolk index none of egg quality parameters and metabolic profile were affected by the dietary treatments. Inclusion of OAM into the basal diet increased villus height (quadraticaly), villus weight (quadraticaly), and tunica mucosal width (linearly) eexcept for crypt depth. Based on the results, dietary supplementation with OAM containing 60% formic acid, 20% propionic acid, and 20% soft acid appears to exert neither positive nor negative effects on laying performance, egg quality parameters, or serum blood parameters. But the OAM supplementation into basal diet had a positive effect on the intestinal histomorphology except for crypt depth.