ABSTRACT

This project investigated the effect of Chioroacetic acid on growth performance and hematological parameters of weanhing pigs. In the study, 12 weanling pigs were allotted randomly to four treatment groups (3 animals per treatment) for 42 days. Pigs received a basal diet with treatment 1 (control) no addition of Chioracetic acids while treatments 2, 3 and 4 had 3, 6, and 9 grams levels of inclusion of Chioroacetic acid, respectively. After six weeks, blood samples and intestinal sample were collected from one animal per treatment. Data on feed intake and weight gain were collected daily. Result showed that Chloroacetic acid did not improve the animal growth performance, as pigs receiving the diet containing Chloroacetic acid at 9,6 and 3 grams showed final weights of 12.53, 12.47, 11.53; respectively and 11.43 for the control (P>O.05). Chioroacetic acid increased pH in Cecum and rectum in treatment 4 when compared to treatment 1, though this was not significant. Duodenum and stomach recorded very low pH across the treatments with no significant difference. However, pigs receiving the diet containing Chloroacetic acid at 9,6 and 3 grams levels, showed a numerical higher pH than the control in duodenum and stomach. Pigs receiving Chioroacetic acid at 3,9, and 6 grams levels showed reduction in white blood cell when compared to control (P<O.05). There was no significant difference across the treatment on red blood cell count. Pigs receiving Chloroacetic acid at 3 and 9 grams levels of inclusion did better than the control. There was no significant difference across the treatment on packed cell volume (P>O.05), though control showed higher. There was significant difference in Hemoglobin (P<O.05) across the treatment. Pigs receiving Chioroacetic acid at 9,3, and 6 percent levels of inclusion recorded lower values than the control. Significant difference existed amongst treatments on Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin Concentration (P<O.05). Pigs receiving Chioroacetic acid at 9, 6 and3 grams levels of inclusion did better than the control respectively. There was significant difference on Mean Corpuscular Hemoglobin (P<O.05) across the treatments. Treatments 3, 4, and 2 which received Chioroacetic acid at 6,9 and 3 respectively, recorded lower values when compared to control. There was significant difference on the Mean Cell Volume across the treatments (P<O.05) treatment 3,2 and 4 which received Chloroacetic acid at 6,3 and 9 grams levels of inclusion respectively recorded lower MCV values when comparing to control. This study showed that Chloroacetic acid influenced the hematological parameters of weanling pigs, lowered the PH of the Stomach, Duodenum, and Jejunum and increased the pH of Cecum and rectum. Chioroacetic acid did not improve the growth performance of the animals. Further studies will be needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the effects observed when Chioroacetic acid is fed to weanling pigs.