Sodium bisulfate feed additive aids broilers in growth and intestinal health during a coccidiosis challenge

ABSTRACT Sodium bisulfate (SB) was evaluated on its ability to improve broiler growth and intestinal structure with(out) a coccidia challenge. One thousand two hundred Cobb500 day-old males were randomly assigned within four experimental groups with a 2X2 factorial design, with (out) SB in the diet and with(out) a D0 coccidia challenge using a 10X dose of a commercial vaccine. At D7, oocysts per gram of feces (OPG) was determined. At D0, 14, 28 and 41 body weights and feed consumption were measured. At D21, twenty birds per treatment were subjectively scored for coccidia lesions and jejunal histological samples were collected for villi measurements. Twenty additional birds were given FITC-D to determine gut permeability. At D41, ten birds per treatment had histological samples collected. Statistical analysis was conducted in JMP Pro 14 using GLM procedure to compare disease state and diet. Means were separated using Dunnett’s test (P≤0.05) with the nonchallenged- standard diet treatment considered the control. All parameters measured indicated an effect due to the coccidia inoculation. Therefore, effects of diet on (non) challenged treatments were determined using a student t-test (P≤0.05). Limited differences due to diet were seen for the nonchallenged production data. SB had a thinner villi base width (P=0.04) on D21 and greater villi height (P=0.03), smaller base width (P=0.04), thicker muscularis (P=0.03) and lower crypt: height ratio (P=0.01) on D41. Challenged SB had similar gut permeability to the control (p=0.94) on D21. There was no difference in flock uniformity, feed intake, OPG or lesion scores between challenged treatments. Challenged SB had greater body weights on D14 (P