Effect of Pomegranate Peel Powder Added to the Diet of Broiler Chickens on Productivity Characteristics and Chemical Composition of the Main Carcass Parts

This study was conducted over a 49-day period at the research field of Shaqlawa College, Erbil Polytechnic University, to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of pomegranate peel powder (PPP) on broiler chickens (Cobb 308 strain). A totalof 60 birds were randomly assigned to four groups of 15 birds each. The experiment followed a completely randomized design in a 2×2×2 factorial arrangement, with three treatment groups receiving PPP at 2% (T1), 4% (T2), and 6% (T3) inclusion levels, and a control group (C) receiving no supplementation. The trial lasted for seven weeks. The results showed that most PPP-supplemented groups exhibited significantly higher live body weight and carcass weight compared to the control. Five birds from each group were randomly selected for slaughter to assess meat quality. The fatty acid profile of the meat was analyzed using gas chromatography. The findings revealed that higher PPP levels tended to reduce protein content in the thigh meat. However, the feed conversion ratio (FCR) remained unaffected. Additionally, supplementation with sesame oil led to an increase in live body weight, although overall weight differences among the PPP-fed groups and the control were not statistically significant. An inverse relationship was observed between PPP inclusion level and certain performance parameters.