THE EFFECT OF BEE PRODUCTS AND PROBIOTIC ON MEAT PERFORMANCE OF BROILER CHICKENS

Abstract

The aim was the evaluation of meat performance in chickens Ross 308 after the addition of bee pollen and propolis in a combination with probiotic into diet for broiler chicken. A total of 180 Ross 308 broiler chickens of male and female sex were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=60): the control group (C) without additional supplementation, experimental group E1 supplemented with 400 mg bee pollen extract per 1 kg of feed mixture and 3.3 g probiotic (Lactobacillus fermentum) added to drinking water on a daily basis, and experimental group E2 supplemented with 400 mg propolis extract/1 kg feed mixture and 3.3 g probiotic (L. fermentum) added to drinking water on a daily basis. The feed mixtures were produced without any antibiotics and coccidiostatics. The fattening period lasted for 42 days. The findings of the work on the meat performance and carcass characteristics of chickens revealed that bee pollen in combination with probiotic was the most suitable feed supplement. Among the most noteworthy parameters affected positively (P≤0.05) by this supplement in comparison with control may be mentioned the breast part weight. Moreover, it seems likely that there was synergistic effect of bee pollen and probiotic manifested by higher live body and carcass weight (P≤0.05) in comparison with the control. Present results would also seem to suggest that propolis supplementation with probiotic had effects on meat performance and carcass characteristics of Ross 308 broiler chicken.