Efficacy of Zinc/Creatine Supplementation on Improving Growth Performance of Local Balady Chicks

ABSTRACT An experiment was designed to study the efficacy of Zinc and or creatine monohydrate (CMH) supplementation, either alone or in combination, on improving growth performance of Balady chicks. A total number of 144 Balady chicks were randomly divided into four equal groups. The first treatment was fed the basal diet and served as control, while groups 2, 3, and 4 were given the basal diet and supplemented drinking water with, 0.6 mg/ml (zinc sulphat); 0.45 mg/ml (CMH); 0.6 mg/ml (zinc sulphat) + 0.45 mg/ml (CMH), respectively. The results indicated that the live body weight, weekly body weight gain and feed efficiency were significantly (p≤0.05) improved in all treated groups compared with the control. Also, significant decrease (p≤0.05) has been recorded in water consumption values of treated groups compared to control. Moreover, significant increase was recorded in carcass yield, kidney, spleen, bursa, thymus and intestine density (weight/length) with treated groups as compared to control group. On the other hand, serum total protein, globulin, total lipids, total antioxidant, thyroxine hormone level were significantly higher in treated groups than the control. Furthermore, Red and white blood cell counts, hemoglobin level, hematocrit values and antibody titres against Newcastle disease virus, were significantly improved in all treated groups. Therefore, it can be concluded that Zn and or CMH supplementation improved the physiological, productive traits of Balady chicks. The best significant results of performance were recorded for group the supplemented with Zn and CMH in combination compared with those of other treatments.