Effects of different levels of date pits on performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters of broiler chickens

Abstract

The effect of date pits (DP) in diet of broiler chickens on performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters was studied. A total of 192 day-old commercial broiler chickens were assigned randomly to four experimental diets containing 0, 10, 20, and 30% of DP kg−1 dry matter. All diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric, and formulated according to nutrient requirements of poultry. The birds and feed of each treatment were weighted weekly. At 6 weeks of age, bleeding from cardiac puncture performed for serum biochemical analyses. DP significantly decreased final weight, average daily gain and feed consumption (p<0.05). Additionally 20 and 30% of date fibre caused a significant increase in the feed conversion ratio. DP caused a significant decrease in thigh and increase in heart weight, as percent of dressed weight, but had no significant effect on dressed weight and kitchen carcass weight, and percentage of breast, gizzard and liver. However, there was significant difference (p<0.05) in heart and thigh percentage between treatments. The diets had no significant effect on blood parameters including cholesterol, triglycerides, high density lipoprotein, low density lipoprotein and very low density lipoprotein (p>0.05). Blood glucose of birds fed diet containing 20% DP was significantly more than control diet (p< 0.05), but there was no significant difference with diet containing 30% DP (p>0.05). DP could provide a cheap source of feed to birds and using 10% had no negative effects on performance, carcass characteristics and blood parameters.