Effect of dietary supplementation and in ovo feeding of alpha-ketoglutaric acid on the growth performance, development of lymphoid and digestive organs and carcass quality traits of broilers

Kherde, A.R., Bhattacharyya, A., Shukla, P.K., Bondar, B.B., Patel, M., Gulhane, P.S. and Sharma, M. 2024. Effect of dietary supplementation and in ovo feeding of alpha-ketoglutaric acid on the growth performance, development of lymphoid and digestive organs and carcass quality traits of broilers. Indian Journal of Poultry Science, 59(3): 271–280. The present study was conducted to assess the effect of dietary supplementation vis-à-vis in ovo feeding of alpha-ketoglutaric acid (AKG) on the performance of commercial broilers. A total of 375 fertile eggs of CARI-VISHAL birds were set for incubation for first 18 days in the setter and last 3 days in the hatcher. On the 18d, in ovo feeding was done at the broad end of the egg. The eggs were divided into three groups: un-injected control, sham control and in ovo injected with AKG (0.6 ml of 1.5% AKG solution). After hatching, 180 day-old chicks were reared for feeding trials. Chicks from these three groups were further divided into two subgroups, each with three replicates and ten chicks per replicate. One subgroup received a basal diet, while the other received a basal diet with 1% AKG supplementation diet. Birds were reared for 42 days (6 weeks) and kept on a basal or control diet [BIS, 2007; broiler starter diet till 3 weeks and thereafter broiler finisher diet till 6 weeks]. Day-old and 1st week body weight of in ovo AKG group birds were significantly higher and weekly body weight of birds from 2nd week onwards was significantly higher (p=0.01) till the end of the experiment after dietary supplementation of AKG as compared to basal diet group birds. During 2nd and 3rd week of age, body weight gain of dietary AKG supplemented group was significantly higher (p=0.001) than the basal diet group. Small intestine weight was significantly lower (p=0.01) in basal diet supplemented with AKG than basal diet. However, large intestine length was significantly higher (p=0.005) in the in ovo AKG group than un-injected control. Thus, it may be concluded that in ovo feeding of AKG and/or dietary supplementation of AKG did not result in any significant difference in weekly body weight gain, weekly feed consumption, weekly feed conversion ratio, carcass quality traits and development of digestive and lymphoid organs. However, body weight of day-old and 1st week age chicks was significantly higher after in ovo feeding of AKG as compared to basal diet.