Benefits of Adding Citric Acid To Piglet Feeds

Before piglets weigh 30 kg, adding citric acid to diets based on plant protein can effectively improve feed digestibility and piglet performance. Tests have shown that adding citric acid to piglets' diets has the following benefits.

1. Reduce the pH value in the gastrointestinal tract of piglets and reduce the incidence of diarrhea.

Citric acid can reduce the pH value of the diet, increase the acidity of the gastrointestinal tract and the activity of digestive enzymes, promote the reproduction of lactic acid bacteria, and inhibit the growth of Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus. Adding 0.7% and 1% citric acid to the diet of 42-day-old pigs reduced the pH of the stomach contents from 4.5 to 4.2 and 3.5, respectively. And can significantly reduce the number of E. coli in the stomach colon and rectum. At the same time, lactic acid bacteria and yeast grow in large numbers, which can effectively prevent digestive disorders and diarrhea caused by bacterial infection.

2. Improve the palatability of the diet and promote the growth of piglets.

According to the test, adding 1%-2% citric acid to the diet can increase the feed intake of piglets by 5.2%-19.8%, the daily gain of piglets by 9%-38.67%, and the feed conversion rate by 11%-15%. . And adding citric acid is better than adding other  organic acids.

3. It can be directly used as a dietary component to promote the metabolism of piglets.

Citric acid is an important component in diets, protein and fat metabolism. It is an intermediate product of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, and the ATP released can play the role of dietary components. Adding citric acid to the diet can reduce the loss of piglets due to gluconeogenesis and lipid hydrolysis, and promote the activity of the electron transfer system and isocitrate dehydrogenase when synthesizing ATP in the body. It plays an important role in the formation of ATP and the accumulation of total biomass, thereby promoting the metabolism of piglets and enhancing the utilization rate of energy and amino acids in piglets.

4. Prevent feed oxidation and reduce weaning stress of piglets.

Citric acid is a synergist of feed antioxidants. Its mechanism of action is to block the metal ions in the feed, so that it cannot play the role of catalytic oxidation reaction. At the same time, due to the low feed intake of early weaned piglets, the utilization rate of sugar and protein feed is low, and the incidence of diarrhea and mortality are high. Citric acid in feed can promote the secretion of gastric juice and digestive enzymes, effectively overcome the weaning stress of piglets.

If you need other feed additives for swine, such as amino acids, phosphates, vitamins, trace elements, please contact Polifar sales@polifar.com. We are a professional feed additive supplier, providing various feed additives for poultry, swine, ruminants, aquaculture and feed mills.