Effects of supplementing lemon juice and molasses on the performance of broiler chickens

A total of 240 Cobb 500™ unsexed day-old broiler chicks were utilized in a 28-day preliminary to assess the impacts of enhancing lemon squeeze and molasses on performance of broiler chicken. Lemon squeeze and molasses were included with drinking water and took care of with pellet diet. The trial was executed in a 2×4 factorial arrangement with 2 degrees of lemon squeeze (0 and 1 ml/L of drinking water) and 4 ranges of molasses (0, 0.5, 1 and 1.5% of drinking water from 1–2 wks and 0, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0% of drinking water from 3–4 wks). Birds were arbitrarily dispersed into 24 wired pens having 10 birds for every pen. Live weight expanded (p<0.01) in 3^rd and 4^th weeks, weight gain accelerated (p<0.01) in 1^st and 3^rd weeks, feed admission improved (p<0.001) in 1^st and 3^rd weeks and feed efficiency (FE) improved (p<0.05) only in the 1^st week because of supplementation of lemon squeeze in the drinking water. Like lemon squeeze, molasses improved (p<0.01) live weight in 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th weeks, weight increment (p<0.001) in 1^st and 3^rd weeks, feed intake (p<0.05) in 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd weeks and FE (p<0.05) in 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th weeks. Lemon squeeze and molasses interacted distinctively only for weight gain in 3^rd week (p<0.05) and FE in 1^st and 4^th weeks. Principal impacts of enhancing lemon squeeze and molasses were noteworthy (p<0.05) for glucose, albumin, total protein, LDL, HDL and cholesterol. Notwithstanding, interaction impacts were marked (p<0.01) only for glucose, albumin, LDL and HDL. In any case, incorporation of 1 ml/L lemon squeeze and 3% molasses in drinking water is suggested for efficient performance of industrial broiler chicken.