The performance of IPB D1 chickens given varying protein densities and dragon fruit (<i>Hylocereus</i> sp) peel extract in drinking water during the starter period

Abstract Poultry nutrition is greatly influenced by genetic composition and developmental stage, with protein intake playing a pivotal role in performance metrics. However, precise feeding guidelines, especially concerning protein levels and the role of bioactive compounds during the starter phase, remain insufficiently developed for the IPB D-1 chicken, a hybrid composed of 75% local and 25% broiler genetics. Optimizing growth necessitates careful adjustment of protein intake throughout the rearing period. This study examined the effects of two protein levels (20% and 18%) on unsexed, day-old IPB D-1 chickens. Two hundred chicks were allocated into four treatment groups, each with diets containing either 20% or 18% protein, with or without dragon fruit peel extract supplementation. Performance indicators such as body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion ratio (FCR), and mortality were measured. Results indicated that chickens fed a 20% protein diet supplemented with dragon fruit peel extract exhibited significantly enhanced weight gain, improved FCR, and lower mortality rates (P &lt; 0.05). These findings suggest that optimizing protein content with natural additives like dragon fruit peel extract may enhance growth performance during the starter phase for hybrid broiler chickens.