Effects of Paraformic Acid Supplementation via Drinking Water on Growth Performance, Digestive Enzyme Activities and Cecal Microbiota in Broilers
Jinhong Li, Qiuxia Xiao, Ayfer Yazar, Fenil Chaudhari and Yafeng Zhai*
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the effects of groundwater acidification with 0.05% paraformic acid (PFA) on growth performance, digestive enzyme activities, and cecal microbiota in broilers. Two hundred and forty one-day-old female broilers were assigned to two treatments, with six replicates of 20 birds each, and received either untreated groundwater (pH 7.87 ± 0.23) or groundwater supplemented with 0.05% PFA (final pH 3.38 ± 0.09) throughout the 40-day experimental period. On day 14, birds were sampled for assessment of fecal condition, gastrointestinal pH, digestive enzyme activities, and cecal microbiota. PFA supplementation did not significantly affect total water intake but significantly improved feed conversion ratio (FCR) and average daily gain (ADG) over the 40-day trial (P < 0.05). Birds receiving PFA showed visually lower fecal moisture and improved fecal consistency on day 14. PFA supplementation significantly increased pepsin activity in the proventriculus (P < 0.05). Cecal microbiota analysis revealed more unique operational taxonomic units and significant enrichment of Lactobacillus and Anaerofustis in the PFA group (P < 0.05). These findings indicate that supplementation of drinking water with 0.05% PFA can effectively lower groundwater pH without reducing water intake, while improving growth performance and modulating early digestive function and cecal microbial composition in broilers.
