In the current advancement of technology and research, scientists are able to get a complete growth of chicken in a short duration of five weeks. In the past, chickens were reared and still, however, rearing in most of the rural areas of our country for more than six months.
The rapid growth in chicken is maintained by offering antimicrobial chemicals and antibiotics in addition to the minerals, vitamins and a source of protein. These products are being used to maintain the health and control diseases in the chickens. During latest research, the antibiotic particles have been found in the organs and muscles of the ready-to-cook meat of broilers.
These particles are assumed to have a role in disturbing human health. While adopting the Islamic way of cooking, the health hazards (if any) are being removed or eliminated from the eatable cooked chicken pieces. Most of the European countries passed a rule (during the year 2005) on banning the use of antibiotic products in animal and poultry industries.
This ban is because of its possible adverse effects on consumer health. Consumers around the globe are now progressively concerned with the health issues of using antibiotics in poultry and animals. The priority of today’s research is a public health issue by focusing on finding a way to check disease causing bacteria from getting resistance and entry into the food chain of the final consumer.
This demand of the elite society is becoming full filled with most of the poultry professionals in Pakistan by setting a trend for offering very less (if any) antimicrobials. Most of them are getting successful in producing chicken’s meat without using any antimicrobials. But, in this case, they faced real problems of maintaining the birds’ health.
Keeping in view, a PhD level research has been carried out at the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, focusing on the use of organic acid (sodium butyrates) as in alternative to antibiotics in broilers. The sodium butyrate is a non-toxic organic substance, and is being added to the antibiotic free feed. The feed is then offered to the broiler chickens.
In the second group the chickens were maintained on antibiotics for comparison.The study was performed in the environmentally controlled shed and a comparative broiler growth was evaluated on a weekly basis. We found the microscopic development of the intestine in the organic acid offered chickens. It has been noted that the intestinal health and safety gave room and provide leading locality to perform the fruitful digestion of the available feed derived nutrients.
The intestine is furnished with specific microscopic structures recognized as villi. Increasing villi height correlates with the expansion of digestion surface with the nutrients and fortify absorption. This microscopic structural modulations and development can be associated with better growth. Intestine area is highly exposed surface for the invasion of the disease causing bacteria.
These germs can deteriorate the villi structure and function easily. In light of the current study, we can overcome this germ problem in the gut. Furthermore, improvement in the bird immunity was also significant in the organic acid offered group. Along with other blood related laboratory tests, the sodium butyrate grouped chickens gained almost the same growth to that of antibiotics offered group.
It can be concluded that this study targets the practical awareness on how to confirm the broiler growth exclusive of using antibiotics. Furthermore, the essential qualities of the current research in broilers create a gateway for the poultry sector by means of retaining harmless protein, and provide the hygenic, safe and secure meat for human consumption.
Authors: Dr. Arbab Sikandar and Dr. Hafsa Zaneb