Meta-analytic study of organic acids as performance enhancing feed additive in alternative to antibiotics for broiler chickens

• Grant number: 15/10144-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: August 01, 2015
• End date: September 14, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Nutrition and Feeding
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo de Albuquerque
• Grantee: Gustavo Do Valle Polycarpo
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Organic acids are used in broiler nutrition to control enteric problems caused by the ban of antibiotics. However, researches that study organic acids present conflicting results, often due to the particular conditions of each experiment was conducted. In the literature, there are many evaluations of antimicrobial additives conducted without presence of microbial challenge or conducted under unknown microbiological challenge conditions. The amount of information added to the often contradictory results cause inconclusive discussions and polemics on the subject. A meta-analysis is characterized as a viable tool in these cases, considering the difference between the studies with pre-established criteria, changing the focus, the direction and magnitude of the effects. Therefore, the summarization and analyzes of the literature data through meta-analysis becomes crucial and necessary. The aim of this project will be to develop a meta-analysis to study the effect of organic acids as an alternative additive to antibiotics on the broilers performance. For this, a systematic review then a quantitative analysis with criteria based on statistical concepts applied to animal experimentation will be performed. The search of the works will be carried out in digital form through the words "organic acids" and "broilers", which will also be tested in Portuguese, Spanish and French. Additionally, the search for works will extend to experts in the field and scientific conferences, in order to enlarge the search horizon. The data filtering will be held in pairs by experts in poultry nutrition area. The data will be systematized on database and coded for statistical analysis. Graphic studies will be conducted in the preliminary stages to assess the data distribution and assist in the choice of the statistical model. Residual and homogeneity variations will be checked and corrected if necessary. The inferences of qualitative factors will be verified by analysis of variance and quantitative factors through regressions.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

POLYCARPO, G. V.; ANDRETTA, I.; KIPPER, M.; CRUZ-POLYCARPO, V. C.; DADALT, J. C.; RODRIGUES, P. H. M.; ALBUQUERQUE, R.. Meta-analytic study of organic acids as an alternative performance-enhancing feed additive to antibiotics for broiler chickens. POULTRY SCIENCE, v. 96, n. 10, p. 3645-3653, OCT 2017. (15/10144-5)