Effects of Dietary Natural Antioxidants from Citrus Waste on Growth and Blood Antioxidants Status of the Broilers

Citrus waste is mostly wasted after juice extraction around the world which contains compounds that have positive effects on the health of animals and poultry. In the current studies the citrus waste is dried and mixed with the broiler feed replacing maize from the feed at 0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5% and 10%. 225 birds were reared in 5 treatments and 3 replications of each treatment having 15 birds in each replication. The chicks were being provided with the standard conditions for light, water, vaccination and experimental feed for 42 days. The body weight gain, feed intake and the feed conversion ratio was observed weekly. After 42 day of the growth, the birds were slaughter with the Islamic Halal Method and the blood samples of the birds were preserved for antioxidant enzymes assay analysis. The data showed that as the citrus waste percentage in the feed of the broiler was increased, its feed intake and the body weight decreased but the citrus waste has non-significant effect on the feed conversion ratio of the broiler birds. The results also showed that citrus waste in the feed have positive effect on the antioxidant status of the broiler birds. The activity of the superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the broiler blood was increased as the citrus waste level in the feed of the broilers was increased. The citrus waste addition in the feed of the broiler have non-significant effects on the growth parameters, however it has positive effects on the antioxidant enzymes profile of the broilers.