Low Cost Alternative Feed to Enhance

Potential Use of Pumpkin (CucurbitaSpp.) Waste as Low Cost Alternative Feed to Enhance Productivity and Meat Quality in Broilers 1 1 2 2 1K. R. Sriranga* , K. R. Harini , Prachurya Biswaland and Tejeshwari Satpute Livestock Production ManagementDivision, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana-132001, India

2 Livestock Production ManagementDivision, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Izatnagar, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh-243122, India *Corresponding author: srirangabvsc@gmail.com

Abstract

There is an immediate necessity for the utilization of the unconventional feed resources in the livestock feed to reduce the competition between humans and animals for the feed resources. The agricultural and horticultural residues can be effectively used as low cost feed alternatives for poultry among which pumpkin has shown many proven benefits. Inclusion of pumpkin waste in the poultry diet has beneficial effects on appetite, growth and the immune status of the birds along with few therapeutic benefits. The natural antioxidants and bioactive compounds present in the pumpkin residue may enhance the meat quality, and also improves the general health and well-being of chickens. Keywords: Broiler feeding, Low cost feeding, Meat quality, Pumpkin waste

Introduction

Pumpkin is a popular vegetable grown in India during Kharif and summer season. India is the second largest producer of Pumpkin contributing to 18.8% of the global production (FAOSTAT, 2017). Pumpkin/ Squash/ Gourd (Cucurbita spp.) belongs to Cucurbitaceae family which includes 118 genera and 825 species (Lira and Caballero, 2002). Many varieties of pumpkins are cultivated across India among which Cucurbita maxima species is widely cultivated. Pumpkin fruit is a good source of carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, pigments, phenolic acids, and flavonols (Kulczyński and Gramza-Michałowska, 2019); and seeds are rich in protein and fatty acids (Kimet al., 2012).Pumpkins have been described to have medicinal and pharmacological properties also. In traditional medicine pumpkin is used for relieving diverse disturbances such a s h y p e r t e n s i o n , a r t h r i t i s , hyperglycemia, inflammation, dyslipidemia, fungal or bacterial infections, tumors, and intestinal parasites. The cull pumpkins (waste pumpkins in field), fruit pulp, seeds, seed meal and oil extracted from seeds can be used as animal feed (depicted in Fig-1).Pumpkin feeding in animals is beneficial due to their high antioxidant content and polyunsaturated fatty acids (Bardaaet al., 2016). The broiler diet enriched with pumpkin waste strongly affects the levels of triglycerides, cholesterol, low density lipoproteins, and high density lipoproteins in blood (Martinez et al., 2012). Humans can obtain αtocopherol and ß-carotene through the consumption of meat of birds fed with pumpkin seed meal (Daleyet al., 2010). In humans, a diet rich in carotenes improves the immune response and reduces the risk of degenerative diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular diseases, atherosclerosis, cataracts, and age-related muscular degeneration ( J a c o b o - Va l e n z u e l a e t a l . , 2011).Inclusion of pumpkin waste as a partial replacement for soya bean meal (SBM) in broilers diet can be advantageous with enhanced productivity and better meat quality.

Fig-1. Cull pumpkin, pulp and seeds for feeding various livestock species

Inclusion of pumpkin waste in broiler diet to enhance productive performance

Pumpkin wastes are being used for feeding several livestock species viz., ruminants, equines, poultry etc. traditionally on a small scale. Enhancement of productivity by feeding pumpkin wastes are attributed to high protein and fat content of seeds, and high carbohydrate, vitamins, and minerals content of fruit. Feeding of pumpkin waste is thought to improve the feed intake by stimulating olfactory receptors and taste buds (Panda et al., 2009). In addition, high sugar content of pumpkin also enhances feed intake by improving the palatability of feed (Haliket al., 2014). Higher feed intake was observed in broiler diets included with pumpkin seed meal due to enhanced flavors by presence of unsaturated fats (Aguilaret al., 2011). Enhanced feed intake and higher levels of unsaturated fats in the diet of broilers

may lead to improved final weight also. Supplementation of pumpkin seed in broiler diet has significant effect on the total feed consumption and body weight gain (Meineriet al., 2018). Similarly, Aguilaret al. (2011) reported higher final body weight, carcass weight, breast weight and yield, leg weight, and total viscera yield in broiler birds supplemented with pumpkin seed meal. The beneficial effect of inclusion of pumpkin waste in broiler diet is diagrammatically represented in Fig-2.

Fig-2. Beneficial effects of feeding pumpkin waste to broilers

Inclusion of pumpkin waste in broiler diet to enhance meat quality

Inclusion of pumpkin wastes as feed stuff hashypocholesterolemic effects in broilers. Reduction in abdominal fat and serum level of harmful lipids was observed in birds feed with pumpkin seed meal (Aguilaret al., 2011). Plasma levels of cholesterol and triglycerides were significantly lower in chickens fed with diet containing 1% seed oil (Hajatiet al., 2011). Higher content of phytosterols present in pumpkin promotes lipid digestion thereby reducing the serum levels of cholesterol in birds (Martínezet al., 2010). Supplementation of pumpkin waste enhanced the antioxidant status in chickens due to the presence of phytosterols, tocopherols, and phenolic compounds.The seeds of pumpkin contain higher amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), particularly linoleic acid which increases the oxidative stability of meat (Meineriet al., 2018). The pulp and peel of pumpkin are rich in α- tocopherol and β-carotene which acts as natural antioxidants in meat (Stevensonet al., 2007). The higher antioxidant activity in meat breaks the lipid peroxidation chain thereby preventing the loss of meat colour and prolonging the shelf life of meat. In addition, pumpkin supplementation reduces the pH of meat during storage which adds up to the enhanced keeping quality of meat (Meineriet al., 2018). Inclusion of pumpkin in the broiler diet did not have negative impact on the sensory quality of t h e m e a t (Martinezet al., 2010; Meineriet al., 2018).

Inclusion of pumpkin waste in broiler diet to improve health and welfare

Synthetic antibiotics are used as feed additives to promote growth in chickens. In poultry feed, pumpkin can be used as an alternative to synthetic antibiotic growth promoter. The lectins extracted from pumpkin seeds have been shown to have antimicrobial effect on Salmonella spp. and E. coli organisms (Popet al., 2006). Moderate antibacterial activity of the extracts from pulp and flesh of pumpkin, and strong antifungal activity against Saccharomyces cerevisiae of the seed oil extract was observed (Badret al., 2011). The oil from pumpkin seeds is efficient against gram +ve bacteria as compared to gram –ve bacteria.In vitro assays of the extracts of pumpkin rind, flesh and defatted seed meal confirmed inhibitory effects of these extracts on Newcastle disease virusand Infectious bursitis virus(Badret al., 2011). Besides, the extracts from rind and flesh have shown potent antitumor activity in in vitro studies. Proper utilization of pumpkin seeds have been shown to act against intestinal helminthes (Li et al., 2009); and this anthelminthic property of pumpkin seeds is attributed to the profuse amount of phenolic glycosides in seeds (Lyttleet al., 2008). The high content of bioactive compounds such as PUFAs (linoleic acid), phytosterols, and tocopherols in seed oil provide an effective wound healing ensuring better health and welfare of animals. The complexity and bioactivity of pumpkin offer an alternative way for control of pathogenic/ parasitic organisms, improved resistance to infectious d i s e a s e s w i t h s i m u l t a n e o u s improvement in general health and well-being of the chickens.

Conclusion

Feeding of pumpkin wastes has beneficial effects on productive performance and meat quality of the chickens. Inclusion of Pumpkin waste inbroilers diets in partial replacement of soybean meal may improve the live performance and increase edible carcass parts, while reducing abdominal fat in the carcass. Additionally, plasma levels of detrimental lipids may reduce and also the sensory quality of meat is not altered. Due to the high content of antioxidants and fatty acids present in the fruit and seeds, some of the characteristics of meat are improved, contributing to the better human health.Antimicrobial resistance may be reduced by replacing synthetic antibiotic growth promoters with pumpkin waste in broiler diet. The waste generated during harvesting and post-processing can be efficiently utilized as animal feed thereby re d u c i n g a d v e r s e e f f e c t o n environment, and improving animal and human health. r