Effect of Ration Treated with Powdered Okra Seeds or Fruits on Productivity Indicators of Broilers Under Heat Stress

Abstract

An experiment was conducted in the poultry farm of the Department of Animal Resources-College of Agriculture - University of Kufa for the period from 10/10/2022 to 11/13/2022. The purpose of the study was to test the effect of adding okra fruits powder or seeds to the diet on some productive traits of broiler under Daily temperature stress conditions. 360 unsexed broiler chicks, Rose 308 hybrid, one day old, with an average weight of 37 g/chick were used. The chicks were fed on three diets that are from the age of 1 day-10 days, the second diet from the age of 11 days-24 days, and the third diet from the age of 25 days-35 days. The energy level of the three diets, respectively, was 3015, 3081, 3210 kcol / kg, and the protein level was 23.11, 21.51. 19.58 The one-day old chicks were randomly divided into 6 treatments with 4 replications 15 chicks each. The treatments were T1 the control (standard diet), T2 ration with okra seed powder 5 g/Kg feed, T3 was okra seed powder by 10 g/Kg feed, T4 was with okra fruit powder by 5 g/Kg feed, T5 was okra fruit powder at 10 g/Kg of feed, and T6 ration with 5 g seed powder + 5 g of fruit powder. Findings showed that the okra seeds and fruit powder effectively increased chicks’ body weight, especially when using 10 g/Kg of the seeds powder with the diet, or when using 10 gm of the equal proportion of the fruit powder with the seed powder in the diet. Okra fruit powder was better in weight gain than okra seed powder. On the other hand, the use of a diet fortified with powdered okra fruits and seeds was effective in improving the rate of feed consumption in chicks during the experimental period.