Abstract

A worldwide concern about the development of antimicrobial resistance led to thebanning of the use of antibiotics as growth promoters. This research was carried out to investigate the effect of butyric acid glycerides and salinomycin sodium on serum lipids and carcass characteristics in Ross 308 broiler chickens. 800 broiler chickens were raised for 42 days. The experiment was conducted in a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial design with 4 replicates of 25 broilers each. The experimental factors were butyric acid glycerides in two levels (0 and 0.3% of the diet), salinomycin sodium- an anticoccidial drug in two levels (0 and 0.5% of the diet) and litter moisture in two levels (normal litter with average moisture of 35% and wet litter with average moisture of 75%). The level serum cholesterol decreased at 14 and 35 days of age, but this reduction was only significant at 35 days of age (p<0.05). The use of butyric acid glycerides in diet caused a significant increase in blood triglycerides at 14 days of age (p<0.05). The effect of the experimental treatments on carcass percentage, thigh, abdominal fat, pregastric and gizzard, pancreas and intestine were significant (p<0.05). Using butyric acid glycerides caused a significant increase in carcass percentage and a significant reduction in intestine weight (p<0.05). Salinomycin sodium caused a significant increase in carcass percentage and a significant reduction in the percentage of pregastric and gizzard, and also pancreas (p<0.05).

Key words: Butyric acid glycerides, salinomycin sodium, Ross, carcass, broiler chickens.