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Partial substitution of corn for wholegrain Cucurbita moschata flour and its effect on the productive variables of Cobb 500 chickens

Abstract:

Wholegrain Cucurbita moschata flour has a high total carotenoid content that can contribute to the tarsal and skin pigmentation of broilers. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of the substitution of corn for wholegrain pumpkin flour at three levels (10 %, 12 %, and 15 %) on the productive yield and pigmentation of chickens. A completely randomized experimental design was used with four treatments and four repetitions, each with 15 chickens of the Cobb 500 line without sexing. The productive variables weight, weight gain, food consumption, accumulated consumption, conversion and pigmentation of the skin, and tarsus of chickens were evaluated. The latter employed the Konica-Minolta CR-300 colorimeter. The analysis of variance performed on the variables consumption, accumulated consumption, weight gain, and accumulated weight showed statistical differences (p < 0.05) in the first and second stages between treatments. In the final stage, after 42 days, no significant differences between the studied variables were found, reaching a weight of 2,232.22 g to 2,384.00 g per chicken. The results in terms of skin and tarsus pigmentation show that the inclusion of 15 % wholegrain pumpkin flour showed significant differences between the T0 and the T2 treatments. We conclude that the use of wholegrain flour in its different formulations achieved satisfactory results; furthermore, 15 % of this flour was favorable on the productive yields and pigmentation of the chickens.