Impact of Acidified Sodium Chlorite and Enzyme Treatment on the Microbial Load and Energy Bioavailability of Feedstuffs

The presence of microbial load and high fiber content in various non conventional feedstuffs limit their utilization in poultry feed. In the present study, the feedstuffs were treated with acidified sodium chlorite (ASC) and its impact on the microbial load and metabolizable energy availability was assessed in the chickens. The effect of supplementation of feed grade enzyme was also evaluated either alone or in combination with ASC treatment. ASC was prepared by adding citric acid to an aqueous solution of sodium chlorite (625 g/liter). The sanitizing effect of ASC was assessed at 0, 100, 250 and 500 ppm levels in the meat cum bone meal (MBM) and sunflower meal (SFM), while its impact on the energy bioavailability from SFM and de-oiled rice bran (DORB) was assessed at 0, 100 and 250 ppm levels with (0.3 g/kg) and without exogenous enzyme supplementation. The results revealed that ASC treatment was effective in reducing the microbial load in MBM and SFM. Regarding the metabolizable energy availability, ASC treatment produced appreciable improvement both in SFM and DORB, while enzyme supplementation was effective only with SFM. It may be concluded that ASC treatment has a sanitizing effect and improves the energy bioavailability from feed ingredients like SFM and DORB in the chicken.