Acidifiers :

• Acidifiers are acids, the term implies that the PH of the feed or water lowered by the addition of acidifiers. acidification defined as a method of eliminating the high occurrence of pathogens in the poultry environment, include the reduction of PH in feed and in the animal digestive tract mainly in the stomach . acidification product are either single weak acids or mixtures of several different weak acids, the combination could be two or more organic acids or phosphoric acid with one or more organic acids.

Role of Acidifier:

• Acidifier affects chicken performance directly by improving feed intake , weight gain ,feed conversion ratio. indirectly by improving protein and mineral digestion, reduction of micro organism both in feed and digestive tract. Also it has a potential role in feed preservation. Effect of acidifier on digestion Acidification with various weak organic acids to diet such as (formic- citric– phosphoric ) have been reported to improve digestibility of protein , Ca, P, Mg and Zn serve as substrate in the intermediary metabolism . Acidifier stimulating the endogenous enzymes in digestion.

Acidifier act as antimicrobial agents : 

• Organic acid in their undissociated form are able to pass through the cell membrane of microbs.
• Once inside the cells, the acid dissociates to produce H+ ion which lower the PH of the cell causing to use of it is energy in trying to restore the normal balance whereas the Rcoo- anions produced .
• from the acid, can disrupt DNA and protein synthesis, putting the organism under stress so that it unable to replicate rapidly .
• the low PH condition protect the animal from infection especially at young ages.
• Acidifier act as anti mold and feed preservation
• The potential of acidifiers in feed preservation protecting feed from fungi and mold destruction

Acidifiers are compounds classified as organic or inorganic acids.

• Organic acids include formic, fumaric, lactic, benzoic, propionic, and citric acids.
• Inorganic acids include hydrochloric, sulfuric, and phosphoric acids

Formic acid :

• the principal use of formic acid as a preservative and anti microbial agent in livestock feed, it cause the feed to retain its nutritive value longer.
• Mode of action :
  formic acid can penetrate the bacterial cell membranes and destroy DNA.

Sodium format

• improving broiler health as well as growth and efficiency, without resorting to supplementation with an antibiotic growth promoter.
• has been proven to be effective against pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella, along the whole gastro-intestinal tract

Acetic Acid

• Acetic acid in broiler chickens orally challenged with S. Pullorum.
• Higher effect on all the productive performance (egg weight, egg production and egg mass/hen/day).
• Reduced total aerobic bacteria by 2.24 log10 and Enterobacteriaceae to nondetectable levels
• Acetic acid is more effective in limiting yeast and bacterial growth
• Acetic acid prevented growth and toxin production by Clostridium botulinum

citric acid (CA)

• citric acid is the most common organic acid used in poultry diets.
• It acts as a growth promoter through acidifying the gastrointestinal (GI) content and is considered as a favored determinant in effective nutrient digestion.
• CA also improves the solubility of the feed ingredients, digestion and absorption of nutrients by modifying intestinal pH( pH).
• It is a good natural preservative; it is also used to add an acidic taste to food and soft drink.