Evaluation of potassium diformate in necrotic enteritis challenge model

The effects of graded inclusion levels of potassium diformate (KDF) in broiler diets were evaluated in the Necrotic Enteritis (NE) challenge model. At an inclusion rate of 4.5 g/kg KDF significantly reduced NE mortalities by 58% (12.7 versus 30.0%) in challenged birds. The reductions in NE mortalities induced by KDF, however, were not associated with decreased jejunal counts of Clostridium perfringens, the causative organism. KDF did not significantly influence weight gain or feed efficiency in unchallenged or challenged birds. It is concluded that KDF appears to have promise for the control of NE in broiler chickens, particularly in the absence of antibiotics, and that further investigations are justified.