Effect of an Organic Acid Product During Feed Withdrawal on Broiler Mortality, Shrinkage and Carcass Condemnation Following Transport to Processing

Abstract

In poultry and other species, economic losses during transport are due to mortality, carcass shrinkage (carcass dehydration) and carcass condemnation. Feed Withdrawal (FW) prior to processing is necessary to reduce fecal ingesta contamination of carcasses during processing. Direct acidification of the water with specific concentrations of some Organic Acids (OA) has been shown to significantly reduce the amount of potential pathogens such as Salmonella on the carcasses by antemortem disinfection of the crops when used during the pre-slaughter feed withdrawal period. However, reduced water consumption due to effective OA concentrations have been shown to increase carcass shrink. In the present study, the effect of a commercially available mix of flavored organic acids significantly reduced carcass condemnation at the processing plant in 3/3 trials (p<0.05) % and mortality during transportation in 1/3 trials (0.40% treated vs. 0.65% control). A consistent improvement of average body weights at the farm and at the processing plant due to reduction of carcass shrinkage and condemnation at the processing plant were also observed in the treated marked age broiler chickens. Water intake was numerically higher in treated birds when compared with non-treated birds (72.9 mL vs. 62.5 mL). During FW, this OA product could be useful to reduce mortality, shrinkage and carcass condemnation during transportation to the processing plant of broiler chickens.