Modulation of broilers’ productivity and blood biochemical parameters by Citrus elements dietary supplementation

Abstract

Abstract The present study was conducted to evaluate the effects of a commercial lemon extract (Nor- Spice AB), dried sweet orange peel, dried lemon peel and avilamycin on broilers’ live weight and carcass traits, and to investigate their effects on some blood biochemical parameters and intestinal morphometry. A total number of 650 one day-old unsexed Arbor Acres broiler chicks were randomly assigned to 5 floor pens with 130 each and subjected to one of five different experimental diets: non supplemented basal diet (control), basal diet with 100 mg/kg of avilamycin, basal diet with 250 mg/kg of a commercial lemon extract (Nor-Spice AB), basal diet with 250 mg/kg of dried sweet orange peel and basal diet with 250 mg/kg of dried lemon peel. The commercialbased feed additive improved significantly (P <0.01) the live weight and carcass yield of broilers. Plasma glucose was very significantly (P<0.0001) decreased in all supplemented groups, whereas plasma cholesterol was significantly (P <0.05) increased in the group fed on avilamycin. Both lemon extract and lemon peel induced a significant increase in plasma triglycerides. Only avilamycin induced a significant decrease in the intestinal length. Keywords: Citrus, avilamycin, carcass yield, biochemical components