engleski

The effects of propolis supplementation on weight gain, feed conversion and selected biochemical blood parameters of broilers

High growth rate and feed efficiency are the two main targets in poultry production. For several decades, antibiotics have been widely used in the chicken diet. However, the use of antibiotics in broilers feeding has resulted in numerous problems and therefore their usage as a growth promoter is no longer acceptable and is prohibited in the European Union countries. Propolis as a natural substance pose itself as a valuable alternative in that sense. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of propolis supplementation on weight gain, feed conversion and selected biochemical blood parameters of broilers. This experimental study was conducted on 180 Ross 308 chickens equally distributed by sex and divided into three groups: the control group of chickens (C) fed with a basal diet and two experimental groups of chickens (E) fed with the same diet supplemented with propolis (E1 2g/kg and E2 4g/kg). Blood sampling was performed by wing vein puncture with direct needle injection coupled with a test tube under vacuum on the 42th day of the study. The collected blood samples were analyzed for the following biochemical parameters (Fe, Ca, Na, P, Mg, K, Cl, cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, triglyceride, glucose, total proteins, globulins and albumins). The mentioned biochemical parameters were determined using Olympus AU 680 automatic analyzer (Olympus Life Science Research Europa GmbH, Germany). Laboratory analyses were performed at the Department of Clinical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Centre Osijek. The numerical variables were described as mean and standard deviation. The ANOVA and Kruskal-Wallis test were used for the comparison of numerical variables among the groups. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. The study revealed that there were no statistically significant differences in weight gain between C and E groups of chickens on 1st (p = 0.547), 2nd (p = 0.464), 3rd (p = 0.792), 4th (p = 0.426), 5th (p = 0.925) and 6th (p = 0.971) week of feeding. The study also showed that there were no statistically significant differences in feed conversion between C and E groups in any of the week of feeding (p = 0.368). Finally, the study revealed that there were statistically significant differences in Na levels (p = 0.039) and Ca levels (p = 0.045) while there were no statistically significant differences in HDL cholesterol (p = 0.719), LDL cholesterol (p = 0.382), cholesterol (p = 0.462), triglycerides (p = 0.481), proteins (p = 0.249), albumins (p = 0.661), globulins (p = 0.058), glucose (p = 0.179), Fe (p = 0.068), Mg (p = 0.557), K (p = 0.590), P (p = 0.397) and Cl (p = 0.128) levels between C and E groups. It can be concluded that applied doses of propolis did not affect the observed performance indicators and selected biochemical blood parameters of broilers thus it is important to evaluate the effects of such supplementation through some other indicators.

propolis ; broilers feeding ; weight gain ; feed conversion ; blood

nije evidentirano