Tropentag, September 16 - 18, 2026, Göttingen "Towards multi-functional agro-ecosystems promoting climate-resilient futures"

Impact of drinking water acidification in broilers – a continental performance analysis

ADDCON, Germany

Abstract

The use of acidifiers in drinking water is a relatively recent development in poultry production, propelled by cost-efficiency and the implementation of various antibiotic reduction strategies. Organic acids, in particular formic acid and its salts, are well known to improve productivity in animal nutrition. The potential for organic acids to improve the water quality lies in their ability to protect against microbial contamination. This is especially crucial in rural tropical areas, often the centre of local poultry production. The use of acidifiers via drinking water will not only create hygienic conditions in the water itself but also lead to improved performance parameters in the birds. Various trials using a drinking water acidifier based on formic acid and sodium formate (ADDCON XL2.0) have been carried out under a wide range of tropical and sub-tropical conditions across Asia. This study analysed the average impact of the additive, from all data collected, on the performance parameters weight gain, feed efficiency, mortality and production index from commercial and academic trials. The final data-set contained the results of 8 trials in broilers at inclusion rates ranging from 350 ml to 1000 ml per 1000 L water. These studies were carried out between 2012 and 2023 in Indonesia, Pakistan, Philippines, Thailand and Turkey and included more than 223,000 broilers. The results are expressed as the percentage difference from the negative control and given as means. A confidence level of 95 % was defined for these analyses. The average dosage of XL2.0 in all treated broilers was 740 ml/1000 L. Average daily gain of birds was significantly (P=0.007) increased by 5.0%, while feed efficiency was significantly improved by 3.7% (P=0.009). An immensely reduced mortality rate was noticed (-17.1%; P=0.02). The resulting overall productivity index was highly significantly (P=0.0001) increased by 10.2%. This study demonstrates that, under a wide range of different broiler production conditions throughout Asia, including water acidification in broiler production has beneficial effects on the performance of chickens and may be considered a low-cost sustainable option to improve production parameters with no or lowered antibiotic usage.

Keywords: Acidifier, broiler, drinking water, formic acid and formate, livability, productivity

Contact Address: Christian Lückstädt, ADDCON, Parsevalstrasse 6, 06749 Bitterfeld-Wolfen, Germany, e-mail: christian.lueckstaedtaddcon.com