Abstract

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.