Research Article

Impact of Usage of Fruit Waste on Growth Performance, Carcass Characteristics, Organs Weight and Blood Chemistry in Broilers

Muhammad Shahid Nisar1*, Ahmad Kamran Khan1, Ghulam Fatima2, Irfan Ahmed4, Khizar Sami Ullah2 and Syeda Amber Hameed2,5

1Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. 2Department of Zoology, Wild Life and Fisheries, Faculty of Sciences, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan. 3Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan; 4Department of Microbiology, Ghazi National Institute of Engineering and Sciences, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan.

Received | September 24, 2022; Accepted | August 22, 2023; Published | November 02, 2023

*Correspondence | Muhammad Shahid Nisar, Department of Plant Protection, Faculty of Agriculture, Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab, Pakistan; Email: mnisar@gudgk.edu.pk, akamran@gudgk.edu.pk

Citation | Nisar, M.S., A.K. Khan, G. Fatima, I. Ahmed, K.S. Ullah and S.A. Hameed. 2023. Impact of usage of fruit waste on growth performance, carcass characteristics, organs weight and blood chemistry in broilers. Sarhad Journal of Agriculture, 39(4): 840-847.

DOI | https://dx.doi.org/10.17582/journal.sja/2023/39.4.840.847

Keywords | Live performance, Carcass characteristics, Organs weight, Blood chemistry, Broiler

Copyright: 2023 by the authors. Licensee ResearchersLinks Ltd, England, UK.

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).

Introduction

Increase in human population, high demand of food and nutritional importance leads to an increase in high poultry production in a very small period of time with the use of growth promoting hormone and antibiotics (Chattopadhyay, 2014). Antibiotic is a substance that inhibits the growth of a microorganism. Metronidazole, vancomycin, chloramphenicol, and tetracycline are effective antibiotics used in poultry for anti-microbial or antifungal activities also used for high yield of meat in broilers (Mehdi et al., 2018). Curative and sub-therapeutic uses of antimicrobials for animals are of increasing interest regarding the disclosure and distribution of resistant zoonotic bacterial pathogens (Economou and Gousia, 2015). A serious threat emerges due to antibiotic resistance with global deaths estimated by 2050 to reach 10 million people every year, but it is challenging to quantify the associated excess morbidity and mortality (de Kraker et al., 2016; Ahmed et al., 2022). Thus, due to the emergence of microbes resistant to antibiotics which are used to treat human and animal infections, the European Commission (EC) decided to phase out, and ultimately ban (January 1st 2006), the marketing and use of antibiotics as growth promoters in feed (EC Regulation No. 1831/2003) (Huyghebaert et al., 2011). Antimicrobial drugs are used indiscriminately likely to hasten the development of antibiotics resistance in pathogens (Aalipour et al., 2013). To cope up these problems, poultry management emphasizes the use of natural resources which are inexpensive and have no hazardous effects on human health (Hossain et al., 2013). Fruit crops are used as natural anti-oxidant as a rich source of nutrient which produce meat juicy, tenderness and sweet in taste. To meet this requirement will be a problem for human that will reduce the sources of food as well water. Every year around 1.3 billion tons of food is vanished and wasted in which fruits and vegetables are the major part of this cost (Åhnberg and Astrid, 2010). Currently, their
disposals pose an environmental health risk due to their high volume and moisture content, thus becoming a suitable substrate for obnoxious microbes to thrive (O’Shea et al., 2015). Fruits remaining have an important role in food industry that can be used as a food additive (antioxidants, antimicrobials, colorants, flavorings, and thickener agents. Fruit peels, pomace and unused parts are a good source of natural anti-oxidant (Gowe, 2015). The usage of fruit left-over as animal feed will place back in the human food chain, reduce the environmental pollution. The fruits waste which can be used including apple, banana, oranges, grapes, lemons and strawberry as healthy farm animals feed (Schlegel, 2003).

Use of fruit waste in poultry could be very cost effective method to mix in poultry feed at very low price by having beneficial effects or positive growth rate in poultry. For the above mentioned multiple beneficial effects of fruit peels, the study was aimed to use fruits waste in the poultry feed to reduce the utilization of the antibiotics in feed.

Materials and Methods

The experiment was conducted in the Government Poultry Farm, Dera Ghazi khan, Punjab, Pakistan.

Fruits collection and preparation of feed

Fruit waste (FW) including ripened banana, orange and apple peels was collected at the popular local fruit juice shops dried under the sun, grinded dried pieces into granules form and mixed with basal diet in equal proportions to offer the chicks. Basal diet refers to the diet that provides energy and protein with basal nutrients in quantities to meet basic body needs.

Ethical statement on experimentation of animals

The rearing, culling and sampling of the birds were followed by the principles of Animal Ethical Committee of Ghazi University, Dera Ghazi Khan. The Guidance was followed for the animal care and use according to the National Research Council, USA (NRC, 2011).

Experimental birds, housing and management

A total of 240 birds, d-old mixed-sex Ross-308 were bought from local commercial hatchery and randomly divided into twelve floor pens with 20 birds in each pen. Rice hulls were used as litter material. Vaccination was followed according to the schedule. Water and feed were provided ad-libitum throughout the experiment. The standard temperature, ventilation and light management was done during the experiment. Broiler growth and performance depend on the expose time of the light provided for maximum biological functions. The data was recorded daily basis from slaughtering birds and their weights were recorded for feed conversion ratio (FCR) calculations. Three standard basal diets were manufactured from well-reputed feed mill with started (1-7 d), grower (8 to 21 d), finisher (22 to till end of experiment) (Table 1). In current study, four treatments were used and each treatment has three replicates. D1 (control) was given BF100% + 0% FW, chicken in D2 were offered with (BF 75%+25% FW), D3 were offered with (50% BF+50% FW) and, chickens in D4 (25% BF + 75% FS).

Study parameters

Feed intake was calculated on daily basis while body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated on weekly basis. Mortality rate was calculated on daily basis. After 56 days, five birds from each treatment were selected and weighed and then slaughter by cervical dislocation. Vital organs (Gizzards, liver, heart, small intestine, pancreas, lungs, spleen and kidney) and dressing percentage, breast and thigh weights were calculated at the end of experiment. For blood analysis, 5 ml blood was collected from the wings of five birds per treatment with addition of anticoagulant. The concentration of white blood, lymphocytes, mid-range absolute count, granulocytes, red blood cells, hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular volume, mean platelet volume were calculated by complete blood count.

 

Table 1: Nutrients composition.

Nutrients (%)	Starter (1 to 7 d)	Grower (8 to 21 d)	Finisher (22 to 35 d)
Metabolisable energy (Kcal/kg)	2850	2900	2950
Crude protein	22	21	20
Crude fiber	3.80	3.75	3.84
Ether extract	4.02	4.22	4.80
Ash	5.01	4.94	4.73
Calcium	0.81	0.78	0.75
Available phosphorus	0.42	0.40	0.39
Lysine	1.19	1.16	1.08
Methionine	0.51	0.49	0.47
Threonine	0.73	0.69	0.67

2Supplied per kilogram of diet: vitamin A, 15,000 IU; vitamin D3, 3300 IU; vitamin E, 62.5 mg; vitamin K, 3.6 mg; vitamin B1, 3 mg; vitamin B2, 9 mg; vitamin B6, 6 mg; vitamin B12, 0.03 mg; niacin, 60 mg; calcium pantothenate, 18 mg; folic acid, 1.5 mg; biotin, 0.36 mg; choline chloride, 600 mg; Fe, 80 mg; Cu, 12 mg; Zn, 75 mg; Mn, 60 mg; I, 0.35 mg; Se, 0.15 mg; growth promoting agent, 30 mg; and antioxidant, 100 mg.

 

Statistical analysis

The collected data were analyzed by using analysis of variance (ANOVA) under complete randomized block design and SAS 9.1 version (SAS, 2001) was utilized. Statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Data for all parameters were exhibited as mean ± SEM. There are non-significant differences with same numbers on mean value.

Results and Discussion

Production parameters

The results of current study show that different concentration of fruits peel like apple, banana and citrus differed significantly among all the treatments. Production paramters include that affected by feeding to the chicken including feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio. In current study, higher Feed intake was shown significant difference (p<0.01) in D3 treatment supplemented with 50% of FW as compared to the other treatment groups while lower feed intake was found in D4 that may be due to refusal of feed due to taste and fiber contents of peels as presented in Table 2 at 35th d. In the current study, the assessment with the control treatment of broiler chicks, detected significant differences (p<0.01) in the FCR, BWG and blood metabolites but carcass components showed non-significant differences (p>0.01) results among groups. Similarly, to our results, Herrero-Encinas et al. (2020) reported the improvement of average daily gain and FCR in broiler chickens during the grower-finisher period by supplementation of the 750 mg/kg olive-pomace extract (Herrero-Encinas et al., 2020). While Bostami et al. (2015) described the inclusion of the 20 g/kg dietary level of pomegranate waste in broiler chicken diet improved the body weight gain (Bostani et al., 2015). Bioactive substances present in the fruit waste have the capacity to enhance the feed efficiency by improving, bile acid function, and decreasing the intestinal viscosity and nutrient digestibility (Colombino et al., 2020). Similar results were reported by Ebrahimi et al. (2013) that carcass yields were higher in the chicken fed diets with 15 g/kg of dried orange peel waste as compared to the control group (Ebrahimi et al., 2013). Feed with concentration of 25 percent fruit waste and 50 percent fruit waste showed better results than the control treatments with basal diets. During the whole experiment BWG and FI were increased gradually as increase in fruit peels waste concentration among the treatments groups but the FCR decreased as BWG and FI increase (Tables 3, 4). Similar results were described by Olmez et al by offering blueberry pomace extract (BE) in broiler chickens.

 

Table 2: Effect of FW supplementation on feed intake of broilers.

Weeks	D1 (0%)	D2 (25%)	D3 (50%)	D4 (75%)
1st	215± 0.577b	223± 0.577a	211± 0.577c	193± 0.577d
2nd	214±0.577c	250±0.577a	248±0.577b	203±0.577d
3rd	258± 0.577d	328±0.577a	320±0.577b	261±0.577c
4th	1001.667±0.882d	1351±0.577c	1481±0.577a	1411±0.577b
5th	1791± 0.577b	1731±0.577c	1941±0.577a	1351±0.577d

Mean figure bearing different superscripts row wise differ significantly (p>0.05). Data for all parameters were presented as mean ± S.E.M. Means with the same letter are not significantly different. T1 (control, no supplementation), T2 (supplemented with 25% FW), T3 (supplemented with 50% FW), T4 (supplemented with 75% FW).

 

Table 3: Effect of FW supplementation on FCR of broilers.

Weeks	D1 (0%)	D2 (25%)	D3 (50%)	D4 (75%)
1st	1.424±0.096d	0.171±0.010a	0.359±0.007b	0.7745±0.008c
2nd	0.958± 0.013b	0.633±0.088c	0.6±0.0577a	0.882±0.004d
3rd	0.982± 0.004a	0.531±0.011b	0.771±0.005c	0.666±0.120d
4th	3.240± 0.011a	0.781±0.010b	1.702±0.056c	1.060±0.011d
5th	2.395± 0.286a	1.341±0.011b	0.666±0.088c	0.767±0.009d

Mean figure bearing different superscripts row wise differ significantly (p>0.05). Data for all parameters were presented as mean ± S.E.M. Means with the same letter are not significantly different. T1 (control, no FW supplementation), T2 (supplemented with 25% FW), T3 (supplemented with 50% FW), T4 (supplemented with 75% FW).

 

Table 4: Effect of FW supplementation on body weight gain of broilers.

Weeks	D1 (0%)	D2 (25%)	D3 (50%)	D4 (75%)
1st	231±0.577a	113.63±0.882d	115.4±0.2c	134.33±0.882b
2nd	252.33±1.202c	115.63±0.289b	225.5±0.289d	591.5±1.014a
3rd	420.83±1.364d	635.56±0.296c	885.83±0.441a	866±0.577b
4th	514.33±0.601d	869.83±0.441c	1551.16±0.928a	1235.66±1.202b
5th	1102.66±1.453d	1201.5±0.764c	1620.5±0.289b	1681.5±0.866a

Mean figure bearing different superscripts row wise differ significantly (p>0.05). Data for all parameters were presented as mean ± S.E.M. Means with the same letter are not significantly different. T1 (control, no FW supplementation), T2 (supplemented with 25% FW), T3 (supplemented with 50% FW), T4 (supplemented with 75% FW).

 

The results of BE supplementation were shown significantly increased BW gain and reduced FI and FCR as BE inclusion levels increases (Olmez et al., 2021). The fall in FCR, feed intake and body weight gain in the group fed orange trash without enzyme could be attributed to anti-nutritional chemicals in the peels (Erinle and Adewole, 2022). Furthermore, the high crude fiber content of orange peel reduces ration palatability, resulting in reduced feed intake. The findings had been related with the ones of Oluremi et al. (2007) who found that sweet orange rind may replace maize in broiler diets by up to 15% without negatively impacting performance. The findings were consistent with those of Ebrahimi et al. (2013, 2014), who investigated the result of different levels of dried sweet orange peel supplementation on broiler chicks growth performance and discovered that a diet containing 1.5 percent dried sweet orange peel appears to promote broiler feed intake and weight gain in the 1-21 days after hatching period. Okoleh et al. (2015) stated that the addition of banana leaf to broiler chicken diets influenced ultimate feed conversion ratio, daily body weight gain and live weight considerably (p<0.05). The treatments supplemented with banana peels performed better than the control group. Despite the fact that feed conversion ratio, daily body weight gain and live weight for birds on D2 and D3 were equal (p>0.05) that supplemented the FT 25%, D2 group had numerically larger daily weight gain and final body weight (5.03%) than birds on D3 supplemented with 50% fruit waste. Birds fed with banana leaf powder, D2 consumed less feed than D1 and D3, respectively. Herbs consist of energetic components that useful resource digestion. It also has antimicrobial and immune stimulant residences (Ghazalah and Ali, 2008). Aqueous extracts of leaves and fruit peels of Musa paradisica var. sapientum demonstrated antibacterial efficacy against some species of bacteria, according to Alisi et al. (2008). As seen in the current study, this antimicrobial property may have improved food digestion and assimilation, resulting in a higher feed conversion ratio in treated birds. Bera et al. (2013) found no difference in the food intake or final body weight of mice given the banana peels. In Swiss albino mice, the extracts were shown to be safe. The current findings suggested that in broiler chicks banana peels may be used as a growth promoter. Ahmad et al. (2016) suggested that apple peels is comparable low estimated doses can be included as a good feed source for feed performance in broiler chicken feed without adverse effects their productive function or body characteristics. In the small intestine, dietary fruit pomaces were found to reduce digesta viscosity and increase the concentration of short chain fatty acids particularly acetic and butyric acid compared to control-fed birds (Colombino et al., 2020). Butyric acid provides the suitable form of energy necessary for stimulation of growth of intestinal epithelial cells and mucin production and thus, maintaining the tight junction integrity at the intestinal level (Jung et al., 2015; Peng et al., 2009). Apple waste can be used as a natural antioxidant because it has ability to reduce serum.

 

Table 5: Effect of FW supplementation on carcass characteristics of broilers.

Parameters	D1 (0%)	D2 (25%)	D3 (50%)	D4 (75%)
Slaughter weight	1468.42±1.201d	1839.25±0.577c	2254.43±33.340b	2397.083±0.507a
Dressing %	79±0.577a	78±0.577ab	78±0.577ab	71±0.577a
breast meat	28.297±0.353a	29.297±0.353a	29±0.577a	29±0.577a
Thighs	18.303±0.349a	19±0.577a	19±0.577a	20±0.577a

Mean figure bearing different superscripts row wise differ significantly (p>0.05). Data for all parameters were presented as mean±S.E.M. Means with the same letter are not significantly different. T1 (control, no supplementation), T2 (supplemented with 25% FW), T3 (supplemented with 50% FW), T4 (supplemented with 75% FW).

 

Table 6: Effect of FW supplementation on organs weight of broilers.

Parameters	D1 (0%)	D2 (25%)	D3 (50%)	D4 (75%)
Gizzards	9.66±0.1202b	11.16±0.44b	9.7±0.058a	11±0.578a
Liver	1.89±0.0057b	1.89±0.006a	1.91±0.006b	1.91±0.006a
Heart	0.49±0.0057a	0.5±0.006a	0.51±0.006ab	0.51±0.006a
intestine	3.337±0.009b	3.34±0.006ab	3.35±0.006ab	3.36±0.006a
Pancreas	0.23±0.012a	0.23±0.006a	0.24±0.006a	0.24±0.006a
Lungs	0.646±0.018a	0.64±0.006a	0.65±0.006a	0.66±0.006a
Spleen	0.166±0.009a	0.17±0.006a	0.18±0.006a	0.17±0.006a
Kidney	0.733±0.015a	0.72±0.006a	0.74±0.006a	0.73±0.006a

Mean figure bearing different superscripts row wise differ significantly (p>0.05). Data for all parameters were presented as mean ± S.E.M. Means with the same letter are not significantly different. T1 (control, no supplementation), T2 (supplemented with 25% FW), T3 (supplemented with 50% FW), T4 (supplemented with 75% FW).

 

Table 7: Effect of FW supplementation on blood chemistry of broilers.

Parameters	D1 (0%)	D2 (25%)	D3 (50%)	D4 (75%)
White blood cells	106.80 ± 6.016c	132.73± 0.274b	143.71±0.424a	143.90±0.53a
Lymphocytes	101.83±5.282c	119.26±0.006b	125.33±0.004a	125.33±0.258a
Mid-range absolute count	7.12±1.134b	6.04±1.033b	11.21±0.004a	11.39±0.163a
Granulocytes	3.72±1.191c	5.28±0.006b	6.42±0.176a	6.42±0.176a
Red blood cells	4.22±1.096c	5.22±0.014b	7.35±0.004a	7.52±0.169a
Hemoglobin	39.82±0.889c	46.35±0.006b	48.77±0.019a	48.50±0.177a
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration	39.82±1.494c	46.35±0.237b	48.77±0.056a	48.50±0.195a
Mean corpuscular hemoglobin	47.53±3.027c	58.33±0.008b	62.34±0.002a	62.66±0.214a
Mean corpuscular volume	119.66±7.205b	132.55±0.205a	137.87±0.189a	137.63±0.056a
Mean platelet volume	5.49±0.854c	7.45±0.018b	9.63±0.004a	9.63±0.006a

Mean figure bearing different superscripts row wise differ significantly (p>0.05). Data for all parameters were presented as mean±S.E.M. Means with the same letter are not significantly different. T1 (control, no supplementation), T2 (supplemented with 25% FW), T3 (supplemented with 50% FW), T4 (supplemented with 75% FW).

 

Blood metabolites

All blood components in broiler chickens have significant (p<0.001) differences among all the treatments fed with fruit waste (Table 7). Jawad et al. (2012) stated that specific hematological parameters such as red blood cells, hemoglobin, leukocyte, lymphocyte and the amount of protein has increased, and heterophils have decreased by each group. In contrast to our results, Ojabo and Adenkola (2013) reported non-significant difference between groups treated with 2.5% and 5% orange peel in terms of hemoglobin, volume and total number of erythrocytes in the blood (Ojabo and Adenkola, 2013). Results showed that in artemia-controlled groups and lymphocyte were above the control group, while leukocyte, as hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells, lymphocyte and heterophils were less in quantity than the control group. However, leukocyte, hemoglobin, red blood cells, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration were almost equal to the control group.

Carcass weight and organs weights

In this experiment, all the carcass component had non-significant (p>0.001) difference among all the treatments (Table 5). An experiment to evaluate the effect of the orange peels as a feed source on broiler chicken. They found that orange peel had no effect (p> 0.05) on the liver, kidneys, heart, bladder, spleen and gall bladder but had a significant effect (p <0.01) on gizzard as sweet levels increased. These results showed the similarity with those of Torres et al. (2013) described; there were no significant difference (p> 0.05) between treatments in the carcasses components of broiler chickens (Table 6). According to the Yin et al. (2022), there were no influence of on the relative weight of the spleen, cloaca bursa, thymus or liver of the broilers and also had no effect on the breast or leg muscles, semi-eviscerated or eviscerated carcass (Yin et al., 2022).

Conclusions and Recommendations

The results of current study exhibited that different concentration of fruits peel like apple, banana and citrus differed significantly among all the treatments. Feed with concentration of 25 percent fruit waste and 50 percent fruit waste showed better results than the control treatments with basal diets. During the whole experiment, body weight gain and feed intake were gradually increasing as fruit peels waste concentration increasing among the treatments. In the poultry industry, it is suggested for enzyme supplementation to improve bird performance at a reduced cost by increasing the available energy content in wheat- and barley-based diets and by degrading anti-nutritional factors, like beta-glucans, beta-mannose, protease inhibitors, and lectins in corn-soybean diets. Moreover, the maize is more expensive than the fruit waste, its utilization in poultry feed would be beneficial to the poultry industry to decrease the production expenses that reduces the cereal competition between human and poultry for maize.

Acknowledgement

We are grateful to the Department of Zoology, Ghazi University to conduct research and experimental support.

Novelty Statement

Fruit wastage is a potential problem regarding pollution and wastage of crucial nutrients every day. Current study will help the thoughts to the usage of the fruits wastage from wastage place to the food table by utilization in chicken feed and meat production.

Author’s Contribution

Muhammad Shahid Nisar: Planning experiment and supervised the work.

Ahmad Kamran Khan: Review the manuscript.

Ghulam Fatima: Performed experimental work, data collection, investigation.

Irfan Ahmed: Review an edit manuscript.

Khizar Sami Ullah: Planning the experiment and supervise the work.

Syeda Amber Hameed: Planning the experiment.

Conflict of interest

The authors have declared no conflict of interest.

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