EFFECT OF SOME NUTRITIONAL TREATMENTS OF OLIVE CAKE MEAL ON DUCKS PERFORMANCE UNDER SOUTH SINAI CONDITIONS

Abstract

Three hundred and sixty at 7days old Muscovey ducklings were individually weighed and randomly distributed into 12 treatment groups, the experimental treatments were arranged in a one way design by using four levels of olive cake meal OCM (0, 10, 20 and 30 %) and the same levels were supplemented with 300 mg. of antibiotics (colistin+tylosin) or 300 mg. of Rosemary extract. Results showed that increasing OCM levels in duckling diets decreased body weights, gain , feed intakes ,conversions and digestibility coefficients with no effect on blood parameters. Duckling diets contained OCM and supplemented with300 mg antibiotics improve weights, feed conversion and increased digestibility coefficients. OCM diets supplemented with 300 mg rosemary extract improved feed conversion, increase in TAC values and recorded the highest value of relative economic efficiency of feed. The numbers of microflora of cecum did not differ among experimental groups, demonstrating the safety of dietary treatments to poultry and human populations. It may be concluded that adding herbs extracts may enhance the utilization of olive cake meal without any deleterious effects on ducks performance