Original scientific paper
EFFECT OF PROPOLIS AND BEE POLLEN ON SELECTED INDICATORS OF GUT CONTENT AND FECES OF BROILERS
Ivana Klarić
; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Poljoprivredni fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Matija Domaćinović
; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Poljoprivredni fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Mirela Pavić
; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Poljoprivredni fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Zvonimir Steiner
; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Poljoprivredni fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Danijela Samac
; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Poljoprivredni fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Ljubica Pastuović
; Sveučilište u Osijeku, Poljoprivredni fakultet, Osijek, Hrvatska
Abstract
Numerous studies worldwide have pointed to the possible application of propolis and bee pollen, each added separately or in their combination as additives in broiler feeding. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of propolis and bee pollen as additives in broiler feeding on values of selected indicators (dry matter, nitrogen, ashes and pH) in the feces of chickens and the total number of bacteria, the number of bacteria of the genus Enterobacteriaceae and the number of bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus in the intestinal contents of chickens. The study was conducted on 200 chickens of Ross 308 provenance of evenly distributed gender, which were divided into five groups (control and four experimental groups of chickens). The control chickens throughout the study were fed feed mixture, while the mixture that was fed to experimental chickens contained propolis and / or bee pollen, each added separately or in their combination in a given ratio. Twice during the study period (21 and 42 day) group fecal samples were collected in which the values of the above mentioned indicators were established. On 42nd day of the experiment after slaughter of selected test animals samples of chicken gut (ileum) contents were taken and numerical values of above mentioned microbiological pathogens were determined. The study showed that there was a statistically significant difference in the pH of the feces (p<0.001), the value of dry matter in the feces (p<0.001), the value of the ashes in the feces (p<0.001) and the value of nitrogen in the feces (p=0.003) between analyzed groups of chickens on day 21 of fattening. Furthermore a statistically significant difference was established in fecal pH (p<0.001), the value of the ashes in the feces (p<0.001) and the value of nitrogen in the feces (p=0.001) between the analyzed groups of chickens on day 42 of fattening. The study showed that there was no statistically significant difference in the total number of bacteria (p=0.549) and the number of bacteria of the genus Enterobacteriaceae (p=0.485) in the gut contents while there was a statistically significant difference in the number of bacteria of the genus Lactobacillus in the gut contents (p=0.023) between the analyzed groups of chickens on day 42 of fattening. It was concluded that addition of propolis and bee pollen in feed mixtures for broilers significantly modifies the values of selected indicators in the feces of chickens and has a significant positive impact on the size and composition of the microbial flora of the chickens gut content.
Keywords
propolis; bee pollen; broilers; feces; microbial flora
Hrčak ID:
139692
URI
Publication date:
15.6.2015.
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