Effect of Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia L.) on Growth Performance, Abdominal Visceral Fat, Cholesterol and White Blood Cells in Broilers

Effect of Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia L.) on Growth Performance, Abdominal Visceral Fat, Cholesterol and White Blood Cells in Broilers.

Mr. Kitti Wirunpan

Master of Science in Animal Production, Maejo University, Thailand.

ABSTRACT

A study was conducted to determine the effect of bitter melon (Momordica charantia L.) on growth performance, abdominal visceral fat, cholesterol and white blood cells in broilers. A total of 160 one-day old chicks (80 male and 80 female) were divided into 4 treatment groups of 4 replications (5 chicks per cage). Using the Completely Randomized Design (CRD), chicks were fed diets containing dried bitter melon at levels of 0, 0.05, 0.5 and 5%, respectively, in ad libium. Experimental diets were fed at two phases with 21 and 19 % protein, respectively, and metabolisable energy (Me) at 3,150 kcal/kg (NRC; 1995). Drinking water was provided at all time. Animal were fed for 42 days with 8 broilers per group slaughtered to study abdominal visceral fat.

Results showed that female animal fed 5% dried bitter melon had lower cholesterol level than the other treatment groups at a highly significant difference (P<0.01).>0.05). Although the results were not significant for broilers fed dried bitter melon but abdominal visceral fat percentage tended to decrease by 5% and for broilers fed 0.5% dried bitter melon, growth performance was much better than the other groups.

In conclusion, cholesterol level in blood of broilers fed 5% dried bitter melon was much lower than those of the other groups.