Lactic acid is an organic acid. It has a molecular formula CH3CH(OH)COOH. It is white in the solid state and it is miscible with water. When in the dissolved state, it forms a colorless solution. Production includes both artificial synthesis as well as natural sources.
Application of lactic acid in agriculture and livestock industry
1. Lactic acid with an optical purity of more than 99% can be used in the production of slow-release pesticides, such as herbicides, which are non-toxic and efficient to crops and soil.
2. Lactic acid polymers are used in the production of agricultural film, which can replace plastic mulch film. They can be broken down by bacteria and absorbed by the soil, which is environmentally friendly.
3. Lactic acid is also used as a storage agent for green forage and a ripening agent for forage.
4. Used as a growth promoter in pig and poultry feed. Lactic acid reduces pH in the stomach, activates digestive enzymes, improves the ability to digest amino acids, and is beneficial to the growth of intestinal epithelium. Piglets fed a diet containing acidifiers for a few weeks after weaning can gain up to 15% of their body weight during weaning.
5. Lactic acid inhibits microbial growth. Lactating piglets are infected with diseases caused by E. coli and salmonella, and lactic acid in the feed prevents the growth of pathogenic bacteria in the piglets' lower gastrointestinal tract.
6. It can be used as a feed preservative and microbial stabilizer to enhance feed, grain and meat processing by-products.
7. Adding lactic acid in the drinking water of poultry and piglets can effectively inhibit the growth of pathogenic bacteria and increase the rate of animal weight gain.
