sodium diformate in poultry

Very interesting article about sodium diformate in poultry. Would like to learn more about it. Can the anti microbial activity be demonstrated in vitro?

Dear Mr. Christian Luckstadt
This is a good article for feed efficiency, growth improvement and to reduce E.coli counts in the gut. These are three attributes that the integrated poultry processors look for and if one can achieve without the use of antibiotics in the starter feed, it can be a big achievement. Reducing E.coli counts in the fecal matter by 96-97% means, E.coli counts in the chill tank would also be reduced leading to more hygienic poultry meat product. This also reduces the need of using higher doses of chlorine in the chill tank.

Dr. Milind Limaye, There is a good article on the mechanism of antimicrobial activity of organic acids by Dr. Hans Van Dam of Wageningen University, Netherlands, Feed.Mix Vol.14 No. 4, www.agriworld.nl

Dear Dr. Limaye, dear Dr. Hettiarachchi,
thank you for your comments and questions. Yes, the effect of organic acids in general, as well as of sodium diformate can be demonstrated in-vitro too. Strauss and Hayler (2001) looked at the minimal inhibitory concentration of various organic acids (like formic, lactic and propionic), while the DEFRA (Research Inst. of the British Agric. Ministry) tested the effect of sodium diformate in crop and caecal contents in-vitro.Those data have been partly published during the Poultry Focus conference earlier this year in Bangkok. However, in my opinion it is more important to demonstrate the effect in-vivo. Nearly all organic acids will have certain effects against gram-negative bacteri in-vitro, but you need to be able to demonstrate that the acid, acid-salt or acid blend is working inside the animal. And with sodium diformate we can prove this. There have been studies with diformate (Mroz, 2000), which show that up to 85% of the acid compound is reaching the duodenum and thus the place where higher bacterial proliferation, among them potential pathogens (like E.coli), will start. In the EU, a diformate has been registered as the first non-antibiotic growth promoter for animals, thus being a certified alternative against antibiotic growth promoters.

Thank you Dr.Christian for the valuable information. I would like to add - Sodium diformate is currently being used in India in breeders as well as commercial birds and the results are highly encouraging. Typical observations in breeders are reduction in daily mortality (which is usually taken as non specific or some times diagnosed as enteritis) also, there are reports of improvement in the hatching eggs percentage and the chick quality, which presumably, is due to better adsorption of trace minerals and other valuable nutrients.

Thanks very much for your inputs Dr Christian, Mr Christopher and Dr Anant Deshpande!

Dr Christian,
At Polchem, we try to evaluate MIC of organic acids and their salts mainly against E. coli and Salmonella. We are establishing methodology for checking anti microbial activity against Clostridia and Camylobacter in our lab. During course of our lab studies we have noticed that almost all organic acids exhibit measurable bactericidal activity against E coli and salmonellae. However, we have failed to notice demonstrable activity of salts like Ca-propionate and Na-butyrate. Can I get some guidance from you on standardisation of MIC studies of salts?

Dear Dr. Limaye,
you have to make sure that your MIC studies and the results you get out of them are not "pH"-biased. If you use for instance phosphoric acid, which is an inorganic acid - you get a strong reaction against bacteria, even though that acid has no direct antimicrobial properties - only because you reduce the pH in the test to levels where no bacteria can grow. Thus - in order to get proper MIC values the test need to be on standardized pH. Then, you will be able to compare organic acids with organic acid salts. Sodium diformate in this szenario works so nice, bdcuae it is combining the beneficial impact of an organic acid (formic acid), while it behaves in handling properties like an organic acid salt. I am sure you analytical chemists will be able to design such a study.

Dear Mr. Christian Luckstadt
I had used NDF @0.1% in broiler feed but I faced problem like reduced feed intake (up to10%) and ulcers at Duodenum of 14th day and 33rd day Broilers.
So I changed it with commercial feed acidifiers and situation become normal again.
What might be the possible causes?

Dear Dr. Patel,
thank you for your experience of NDF usage. To my understanding reduced feed uptake in birds have only been reported with acidifier dosage much higher than the 0.1% you have used. I have no explanation for that. At the Pingtung University in Taiwan we have tested 0.15 and 0.3% NDF and saw significant improved weights of broiler after 14- and 39 days. Even the average feed intake of birds was significantly enhanced, by almost 5%. To your description of ulcers at the duodenum... that is usually caused by an gram-negative bacteria called Helicobacter pylori, which can live under acidic conditions, like in the stomach or in the first part of the duodenum. The inorganic hydrochloric acid my "improve" the conditions for that bacteria. However organic acids, like also be present in NDF, will have a direct anti-bacterial effect against that bacteria. So NDF will not be the cause or increase the ulceration. In contrast, we have seen for instance that the gut structure, measured in the length of micro-villi, was significantly improved (1300 to 1700 micro m) in the Jejunum after broilers received 0.3% NDF. What was you diet? A standard corn-soy diet? Maybe you can discuss the issue further with our colleague in India, Dr. Desphande.

am from arusha tanzania east africa dealing in poultry feed,multivitamins and medicines i also have a mixer machine which i use for starter,finisher for broiler and layers mash am very much moved by your product sodium diformate and i would like to use it.is it possible for me to get your product here in east africa?

charles raphael

Dear Mr. Raphael,
Thank you for your interest in the product. Yes, we are working already with some clients in Uganda. Please get in touch with our Sales and Marketing Director Kurt Wegleitner under kurt.wegleitner@addcon.com. He may be able to help you.

Am interested in the product but don't know where to get it.... Based in Nigeria

Shreyank Hampi Can you please share your contact details? I live in India and I would interested to know more details! I have also sent you an email couple days back on the address you have given, you can find my contact details in there! Thanks!

Sodium diformate is available in Nigeria; and has been tested there already - for instance in layers.
Please get in touch with us via info@addcon.com for further information.

How many grams of the NDF can I add to a 25kg of feed to get a desired result?

Please what is the pka value of sodium diformate

Dear Oguejiofor,
sodium diformate itself has no pKa value, since it is a salt of an organic acid.
Since the molecule splits inside the GI-tract of the animal into formic acid and sodium formate, you can say that parts of the molecule have the pKa of formic acid, which is ~3.8.

Thank you