Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of adding milk powder on the growth performance of broilers. Two hundred Lohman broiler males were purchased and reared for 35 days. Chicks were randomly divided into two groups, each group assigned to 10 experimental units and reared in 10 identical pens (10 birds/m²). After a week from purchasing, birds were weighed and assigned to two diets, the control diet (0% milk powder) and the experimental diet (0.5% milk powder). Feed intake and body weight gain were recorded weekly, while feed conversion ratio was calculated. It was noted that body weight gain was improved at week four and five of the experimental period for birds fed rations supplemented with 0.5% of milk powder compared with birds fed the diet contains 0% milk powder with an average body weight gain of 1.20 and 1.92 kg for birds fed 0.5% milk powder diet, and 1.11 kg 1.71 kg for birds fed 0% milk powder diet. A significant difference (p < 0.05) was shown in feed conversion ratio for the birds fed 0.5% of milk powder diet from week two till five with 1.39, 0.89, 0.84, and 0.59 respectively, compared with birds fed the 0% milk powder diet with 1.55, 0.99, 0.97, and 0.69 respectively. Therefore, feeding broilers rations supplemented with 0.5% milk powder significantly (p < 0.05) increased weight gain and feed conversion ratio compared to birds fed 0% milk powder diet, which indicate that milk powder supplementation might be effective and improved growth performance.

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