EFFECT OF CRUDE HESPERIDIN AND ASORBIC ACID ON NUTRIENT INTAKE, NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY, GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF HEAT-STRESSED BROILER FINISHER CHICKENS

Two hundred and forty-day old un-sexed Arbor acre broilers’ chicks were randomly divided into four treatment groups (T1 – T4) for the purpose of investigating the effect of crude hesperidin and ascorbic acid supplementation either singly or in combination on nutrient intake, nutrient digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics during stater phase of the experiment. The study was caried out between May and June, during hot dry season. Crude hesperidin was extracted from dried orange peel according to the protocol developed by Chaudhri (2016), while ascorbic acid was obtained commercially. The test materials were administered throughout the finishing stage of the broiler chickens at the rate of 20 mg/liter and 200 mg/ liter of water. There was improvement (P<0.05) in feed utilization, nutrient digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics of the supplemented groups with enhanced performance (P<0.05) obtained in T3 relative to other treated groups. The result shows that, crude hesperidin and ascorbic acid either singly or in combination can improve nutrient intake, digestibility and growth performance of heat-stressed broiler chickens.