EFFECT OF WATER MELON (CITRILLUS LANATUS) SEED POWDER ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS OF BROILER CHICKENS
Ukpanukpong R. U.* Bassey S. O., Etta H. E. and Osung J. E.
ABSTRACT
The effect of water melon seed powder (Citrillus lanatus) on the
growth performance and carcass quality of chicken were investigated.
45 day old fidan broiler chicks were randomly distributed 15birds /
dietary treatment and each treatment contained 3 replicate (5 bird/
replicate) over a period of 6 weeks. The vital feed starter and finisher
diet were used during the experimental period respectively. The control
group (A) diet was the commercial feed (Vital feed starter and finisher
diet) without water melon seed supplementation. The diet of group (B)
and group (C) contained supplementary water Melon seed powder of
20g and 30g diet respectively. The body weights and feed consumption
was recorded at weekly intervals. Body weights and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were
calculated. On 42nd day bird were slaughtered and the weight after bleeding, weight after
defeathering, total organ weight and dressed weight of individual birds were measured. The
carcass quality parameters such as abdominal (fat around gizzard, vent and heart and
subcutaneous (neck, breast and leg) fat content of fire samples from each replicate were
determined. The study revealed that 20g and 30g supplement significantly (P<0.05) improved
the growth performance and carcass yield of broiler chicken compared to the control group.
Between 20g and 30g water Melon seed powder, 20g was the most the effective in improving
the growth performance of carcass quality broiler. Chicken the mortality rate was Zero (0) in
the entire experimental groups. This study revealed that 20g inclusion rate of watermelon
seed powder was found to be the beet and optimum inclusion rate, and this has beneficial
effects on the growth performance and carcass yield or broiler chicken.
Keywords: Citrillu Lanatus Seed, Body Weight Gain, Total Feed Intake and Carcass Characterization.
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