Dietary Inclusion Level Effects of Yoghurt Acid Whey Powder on Performance, Digestibility of Nutrients and Meat Quality of Broilers

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Greek strained yoghurt is a highly nutritious product with continuously growing production that leads to massive amounts of by-products such as acid whey. The large production of acid whey and the difficulties related to its processing make it a strong pollutant with costly environmental effects. Industry and academia are searching for sustainable applications to repurpose its use. Our research study examined the effects of yoghurt acid whey powder on broiler productivity and meat quality. Consequently, it did not adversely affect performance and enhanced meat quality by extending oxidative stability. In conclusion, yoghurt acid whey powder may be applied in broiler diets when added at 25 g/kg. ABSTRACT: In recent years, the increasing demand for Greek strained yoghurt produced massive amounts of acid whey, which constitutes a major environmental pollutant. Whether yoghurt acid whey can be included in poultry diets is not known. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of four dietary levels of yoghurt acid whey powder (YAWP) on the growth performance, nutrient digestibility, meat quality traits and oxidative stability. A total of 300 male 1-day-old Ross 308 broilers were assigned into four groups with five replicates of 15 broilers each: control-fed basal diet with no YAWP addition (WO) or basal diet supplemented with YAWP at 25 g/kg of diet (WA), 50 g/kg of diet (WB), or 100 g/kg of diet (WC). At the starter period, body weight and body weight gain were reduced after WB and WC treatments compared to the WO treatment. Breast meat oxidative stability was improved during refrigerated storage for 1 and 3 d in all YAWP treatments compared to control, while the WA treatment showed an improved oxidative stability after 6 and 9 d. The results suggest that YAWP inclusion at 25 g/kg of diet did not impair performance and extended the meat shelf life by reducing lipid oxidation rates.