This study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementing bee propolis as a growth promoter and antioxidant material on laying performance, egg quality traits, blood parameters, antioxidant status during laying period of quails. A total number of 72 laying quails, 15-wks-old were randomly divided into four groups, 18 birds each, and each treatment replicated three times in a completely randomized design. The birds were selected on basis of more than 70 % egg production rate after two-week of observation period. Dietary treatments were as follows: control (without supplementation), bee propolis at levels of 250 and 500 mg/kg diet and ascorbic acid at level 250 mg/kg diet (as a positive control). Results showed that quails fed diets supplemented with different levels of propolis or ascorbic acid had similar body weight change, egg laying rate, egg weight and egg mass as compared to those fed the control diet throughout the experiment. Feeding quails on different levels of propolis or ascorbic acid in the diet improved feed conversion ratio, but differences were not significant compared to the control. All studied egg quality parameters were not significantly affected by different treatments. Yolk total cholesterol concentration was significantly (P≤0.05) lower for groups fed 500 mg propolis diet and this decrease reached to 3.6 % as compared to those fed the control diet, whereas, yolk total lipids were significantly (P≤0.05) decreased for groups fed ascorbic acid or different levels of propolis as compared to the control group. The decrease in yolk total lipids reached to 18.9, 23.5 and 10.2 % for the groups given 250 mg ascorbic acid, 250 and 500 mg propolis / kg diet, respectively. The studied serum constituents were significantly influenced for quails fed ascorbic acid or different levels of propolis diets. Feeding both ascorbic acid and propolis supplementation diets resulted in significantly lower total lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL values than those fed the control diet. Malondialdehyde was significantly decreased whereas, total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase significantly increased in all treatments compared to the control. In conclusion, results indicated that propolis could effectively be added to quail ration to improve laying performance and to optimize lipid profile in egg yolk and blood and enhance the antioxidative status under summer conditions.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of supplementing ginger and bee propolis as a growth promoter and antioxidant material on performance traits, carcass characteristics, blood parameters and antioxidant status of growing Japanese quail. A total of one hundred and thirty-five, 7 days old unsexed growing Japanese quails were randomly divided into 5 groups, each 3 replication of 9 birds per replicate in a complete randomized design. Five diets were formulated as follows: the1 st diet was basal diet without supplement and served as negative control and the 2 nd diet was basal diet supplemented with 100 mg/kg antibiotic and served as positive control, while the 3 rd and 4 th diets included 125 mg/kg ginger and 500 mg/kg bee propolis, respectively and the 5 th diet included a mixture of 125 mg ginger + 500 mg bee propolis/ kg diet. The results showed that dietary supplementations did not significantly (P≤0.05) influence the final live weight and weight gain. Significant (P≤0.05) decrease in feed intake was recorded in the group received antibiotic and 500 mg propolis in their diet as compared to the control. Quails received 500 mg propolis in their diet had the best (P≤0.05) record of feed conversion ratio. This group surpassed the control one by 4.2 %. The highest value of relative carcass weights was obtained in the group received 500 mg propolis/kg diet. Numerical decrease was observed in relative weight of abdominal fat and numerical increase was observed in lymphoid organs in all groups fed the different supplementations. Antibody titters against avian Newcastle disease significantly improved by different treatments at 21 days after vaccination. Serum total lipids, triglycerides and total cholesterol were significantly decreased for groups fed on different feed additives as compared to negative control group. Significant increase in HDL concentration was recorded in the groups given ginger or propolis contained diets as compared to the control groups. Dietary treatments significantly increased total antioxidant capacity and glutathione peroxidase activity and significantly decreased Malondialdehyde compared to the negative control. In conclusion, the results indicated that growing Japanese quail fed diet supplemented with ginger, propolis or its combination could effectively be added to quail ration to improve feed conversion ratio and humeral immunity and optimize lipid profile in blood serum and enhance anti-oxidative status.

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