Comparative Efficacy of Citrullus Colocynthis Fruit Powder and Popular Antibiotic Growth Promoters in Broiler Diet

Abstract

The present study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of Citrullus colocynthis fruit powder (CCFP) as alternative to antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) in broiler diets. Four hundred d-old Ross-308 broiler chicks were randomly placed in twenty floor pens of twenty chicks each. A corn-based basal diet during starter (1 to 7 d), grower (8 to 21 d) and finisher (22 to 35 d) periods was formulated (control group). The other dietary treatments consisted of same basal diet but supplemented with 0.335g zinc bacitracin (15%) (ZB group), 0.125g enramycin (4.4%) (ENR group), and 1.0g (CC-1 group) and 1.5g CCFP per kg of diet (CC-1.5 group). Each experimental diet was assigned randomly to four replicate pens. The CC groups showed improved (P<0.05) weight gain with similar feed conversion ratio as compared to control and ZB groups. However, there was no difference in performance among various CC and ENR groups. No difference was observed in carcass characteristics of broilers fed different dietary treatments. Similarly, cecal and ileal bacterial populations (total bacterial count, total coliform count, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli and Lactobacillus) and serum concentrations of glucose, uric acid, triglycerides, cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, total proteins, albumins and globulins were comparable among CC and AGP groups. Immune response against ND and IBD virus was also not affected by the dietary treatments. In conclusion, 1.0g CCFP per kg of diet could be used in broiler diets as a replacement of commonly used AGP. © 2021. All Rights Reserved.