Abstract
The paper aims to estimate the least-cost ration of a sample of broiler farms in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia. The farms were divided into three groups based on their production capacity. The linear programming technique was used to estimate the least-cost ration using the three-stage feeding system (starter, grower, and finisher). The results show that the optimal ration would save broiler farms in Al-Ahsa, on average, SAR 234,100, and their profit would increase by 47%, compared to their present situation. Furthermore, the optimal solution showed that the cost per bird would decrease by 7.3% if broiler farms adopted the recommended ration.