Influence of Lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) Juice Supplementation in Drinking Water on Growth Performance and Haematological Parameters of Finisher Broiler Chickens
This study investigated the influence of lime (Citrus aurantiifolia) juice supplementation in drinking water on the growth performance and haematological parameters of finisher broiler chickens. A total of 120 day-old Anak strain broiler chicks were raised to the finisher phase (5–8 weeks) and randomly assigned to four treatment groups in a Completely Randomised Design (CRD). The treatments consisted of 0, 10, 15, and 20 mL of lime juice per litre of drinking water, each replicated three times with 10 birds per replicate. Growth performance indices, including body weight, weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio (FCR), were measured. Haematological parameters, including packed cell volume (PCV), haemoglobin concentration (Hb), red and white blood cell counts (RBC, WBC), and differential leukocyte counts, were determined at the end of the trial. Results showed that lime juice supplementation significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced final body weight, weight gain, and feed intake compared to the control, with the best performance recorded at 15–20 ml/l inclusion levels. Feed intake increased with higher lime juice supplementation, although FCR was slightly elevated at 20 ml/l, indicating a trade-off between higher intake and conversion efficiency. Haematological responses revealed that moderate supplementation (10–15 ml/l) improved PCV, Hb, and RBC, reflecting enhanced oxygen-carrying capacity and physiological status, while 20 ml/l increased lymphocyte counts, suggesting immunostimulatory benefits. The findings demonstrate that lime juice supplementation in drinking water positively influenced growth and blood indices of broilers, with optimal benefits at 15–20 ml/l. Lime juice, rich in citric and ascorbic acids, thus shows potential as a natural, cost-effective growth promoter and health enhancer in broiler production.
Keywords: broiler chickens, lime juice, growth performance, haematology, organic acids, natural growth promoter
