Table 2 The effect of graded levels of whey with addition of citric acid on growth performance

0.968 ± 0.009

0.952 ± 0.009

0.954 ± 0.015

0.951 ± 0.005

0.955 ± 0.007

0.691

1.955 ± 0.046^c

2.009 ± 0.058^c

2.099 ± 0.038^bc

2.218 ± 0.078^b

2.401 ± 0.065^a

≤ 0.001

0.987 ± 0.049^c

1.057 ± 0.060^c

1.145 ± 0.032^bc

1.267 ± 0.079^b

1.447 ± 0.062^a

≤ 0.001

4.373 ± 0.66

4.445 ± 0.102

4.448 ± 0.123

4.527 ± 0.181

4.219 ± 0.074

0.437

4.48 ± 0.249^a

4.25 ± 0.200^ab

3.89 ± 0.044^bc

3.60 ± 0.166^c

2.95 ± 0.180^d

≤ 0.001

1.358 ± 0.087^c

1.424 ± 0.067^bc

1.539 ± 0.017^bc

1.671 ± 0.082^b

2.052 ± 0.115^a

≤ 0.001

67.394 ± 2.349^d

71.197 ± 2.766^cd

74.959 ± 1.365^bc

79.678 ± 3.040^ab

86.035 ± 2.065^a

≤ 0.001