Hreško Šamudovská, A., M. Demeterová, M. Skalická, L. Bujňák & P. Naď, 2018. Effect of water acidification on some morphological, digestive and production traits in broiler chickens. Bulg. J. Vet. Med., 21, No 3, 269–278.

DOI: 10.15547/bjvm.1065

The objective of the study was to determine the effect of acidifier added to drinking water on growth rate, performance index, flock uniformity, weight of edible giblets and immune organs, fermentation process in the caecum and excretion of dry matter and crude protein in broiler chicks. One hundred one day old broiler chicks were assigned in two equal groups. Birds of the test group were supplied with drinking water with the addition of acidifying preparation (in amount of 2 ml/L during the whole experiment).Acidification of drinking water had positive effect on growth rate during finisher phase (P<0.05) and reduction of crude protein in faeces (P<0.001). Although not statistically significant, water acidification increased flock body weight uniformity. No significant effect of water acidification were observed on performance index, weight of edible giblets and immune organs, pH and concentration of short chain fatty acids in caecum content as well as content of dry matter in faeces.

Key words: caecal fermentation, chickens, excretion, flock uniformity, growth rate, immune organs