Effects of Sodium Bicarbonate, Acetylsalicylic, and Ascorbic Acid on Broiler Performance in a Tropical Environment

Three experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of sodium bicarbonate, ascorbic acid, and acetylsalicylic acid dietary supplementation on broiler performance during the hot month (May-July) in Yucatan, Mexico. In Experiment 1 and 2, 0.5 and 0.6% of sodium bicarbonate was added to a sorghum and soybean meal basal diet of male or female birds. In Experiment 3, treatments using 0.6% of bicarbonate, 200 ppm ascorbic acid, 250 ppm acetyl salicylic acid, and a control diet were fed to male or female birds. No significant differences on broiler performance at 4 or 7 wk of age were found between the control and all other treatments in the three experiments. Bicarbonate, ascorbic acid, or acetylsalicylic acid had no beneficial effects on broiler growth, feed efficiency, or survivability.