IMPACT OF CHEESE WHEY PROTEIN ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF BROILER: AN APPROACH OF CHEESE WHEY UTILIZATION IN POULTRY FEED

Abstract

Cheese whey is greenish yellow liquid separated during cheese processing. It accounts 80-90% of milk after cheese processing. It is usually wasted by cheese industries, particularly in developing countries like Pakistan that increases BOD and COD of dairy effluent. Various useful components like lactose, proteins, minerals etc. are present in whey. Among proteins, whey proteins are very effective in body muscle anabolism along with other health benefits. Present research utilized whey proteins in the form of protein supplement. Whey protein was precipitated by combination of pH, temperature and salt treatment followed by filtration. Two types of whey protein concentrates (WPCs) were formed. One was creamy textured while the other was in powder form. WPCs were added in broiler feed at the rate of 0.2% in powder form and 2% in the creamy texture form. Growth parameters like feed consumption, body weight and weight gain increased with whey protein supplement while had no effect on feed conversion ratio (FCR). Carcass traits like carcass, breast, thigh, wings, drumstick weight had significantly increased with the incorporation of whey protein while having non-significant effect on liver weight, GIT weight and GIT/carcass ratio. Whey protein supplementation exhibit no significant influence on packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin, lymphocytes and polymorphnuclear leukocyte (PMN) while exhibit significant impact on leukocytes and platelets. It is concluded that only 0.2% WPC (powder) exhibit significant impact on carcass growth while 2% WPC (creamy texture) supplementation improved the growth parameters but statistical analysis revealed it non-significant.