Sustainability of sweet orange (Citrus sinensis) peel meal on the performance of finisher broilers

Abstract

Two-hundred (200) four weeks old broiler chickens of Anak 2000 breed from Imo State Polytechnic Research farm were used to investigate the effect of sweet orange peel meal in broiler rations. The birds were fed on 0%, 2.50%, 5.00%, 7.50% and 10.00% dietary inclusion of sweet orange peel meal as replacement for wheat offals in a 28 day feeding trial. Significant difference between dietary levels of sweet orange peel meal and wheat offals were observed on feed efficiency and weight gain (p<0.05). Increase in dietary levels of sweet orange peel meal reduced feed transit time in gastro-intestinal tract (GIT) (p<0.05) while supplementary wheat offal had the opposite effect (p<0.05). It was concluded that broiler chickens could tolerate up to 7.50% dietary levels of sweet orange peel meal without wheat offal added to such a diet, performance was comparable to that of birds fed a standard diet with money saved in the process.