compared with birds fed the nonmedicated diet
during the starter period, whereas birds fed 0.2% butyric
acid had similar feed intake to the control birds. In experiment
2, diet treatments did not affect the performance of
broiler chicks while carcass weight and breast meat yield
increased (P < 0.01) in birds fed 0.2% butyric acid. With
oocyte challenge, birds that had received butyric acid
before challenge showed higher growth rate following
the challenge compared with birds that received nonmedicated
feed. Bacitracin decreased (P < 0.05%) duodenal
villi crypt depth, whereas villus length was similar in
birds fed butyric acid or the nonmedicated control diet.
These results show that 0.2% butyric acid can help to
maintain the performance and carcass quality of broilers,
especially in vaccinated birds challenged with coccidiosis