Physiological Responses and Blood Profile of Broiler Chicken Supplemented with Red Dragon Fruit Peel (Hylocereus polyrhizus) Subjected to Transportation Stress

Measurements on physiological responses and blood profile in 60 broiler chickens were conducted to evaluate the effect of red dragon fruit peel supplementations against three-hour road transportation stress. Broiler chickens aged 35 days were distributed into four treatment groups based on levels of red dragon fruit peel supplementation (0 g per head; 2.43g per head; 3.64g per head and 4.86 g/head). The birds were loaded into plastic crates and transported for three hours. After a – three hour road transportation, the chickens were unloaded to measure respiration rate, rectal temperature and body weight loss. Blood samples were collected for changes in selected hematological parameters. Respiration rates and rectal temperatures were monitored before and after transportation process. The broilers were weighed before and after transportation. During transportation, the temperature and humidity were ranging from 33,55 – 35,6 ̊C and 60,25 – 64 %, respectively. There were no significant effects of dragon fruit peel supplementation on physiological responses and weight loss. The number of leukocytes and erythrocytes were not different from those of control broilers. Similarly, levels of hemoglobin and hematocrit values were not affected by supplementation of red dragon fruit peel. Measurements of leukocyte differentiation showed insignificant different; thus, the supplementation did not affect ratio of heterophyl: lymphocyte of broilers. In conclusion, supplementation of dragon fruit peel did not affect physiological responses and blood profile of broiler chicken subjected to transportation stress.