Recent Advances in Role of Propolis as Natural Additive in Poultry Nutrition

Abstract

A b s t r a c t Propolis is a natural resinous mixture produced by honey bees from substances collected from parts of plants, buds and exudates. Due to its waxy nature and mechanical properties, bees use propolis in the construction and repair of their hives for sealing openings and cracks and smoothing out the internal walls and as a protective barrier against external invaders and weathering threats. Bees gather propolis from different plants, in the temperate climate zone mainly from poplar. About 300 compounds such as polyphenols, phenolic aldehydes, sequiterpene quinines, coumarins, amino acids, steroids and inorganic compounds have been identified in propolis samples. Several scientific studies have been focused on the biological activities of propolis and its functions as a health supplement in humans. It could have akin function in poultry. This review is focused on the current findings relating to chemical composition, as an antioxidant, on performance, immunity, intestinal flora and haematological parameter in domesticated poultry species (broiler chickens, laying hens, quail and duck).

Propolis alleviates the negative effects of heat stress on egg production, egg quality, physiological and immunological aspects of laying Japanese quail

“…In contrast, PR had a positive effect on these productive performance (Table 3) and egg quality traits (Table 4). Most of recent studies on poultry species that fed diets with propolis have also suggested an increase in their production performance [7,24,28]. Moreover, PR induced the onset of egg laying in the HS+PR quail birds (46.61 d) as earlier as in control groups (44.83 d in C-PR and 45.02 d in C+PR), compared to HS-PR group (52.23 d).…”

Egg Production Performance, Blood Biochemical and Immunological Response of Laying Japanese Quail Fed Diet Supplemented With Propolis and Bee Pollen

“…The naturally available growth factors, probiotics and antimicrobial peptides, ought to be used due to their lower side effects on bird wellbeing and the health status of the consumers (Keerthana and Renuka, 2017). Propolis and bee pollen were suggested as natural growth-I promoter substitutions of antibiotics in poultry diets (Kročko et al, 2012;Babaei et al, 2016;Haščík et al, 2017;Khan, 2017). Propolis is a resin substance collected from plant by honeybees (Apis mellifera) and is used in disease resistance inside bee hives (Simone-Finstrom and Spivak, 2010).…”

The effect of some immunomodulators like Propolis and Immulant® against live Newcastle disease virus vaccination on broiler chickens,Egypt

“…Broilers receiving propolis 0.7,0.8 and 0.9 g/kg of diet have serum IgG and IgM concentration higher than control birds (Zafarnejad et al, 2017); it also result in increasing the relative weight of bursa and spleen in comparison to the control group that may attributed to chemical constituents of propolis such as benzene or flavonoids which cause a greater immune response because increases the phagocytic, Macrophage, more cytokines which result in proliferation of other immune cells T and B cells. Also, the ability of propolis in increasing the levels of antibodies may be due to several effects it may be due to increase expression of IL-2 and interferon-γ which stimulate antibodies production in chicks (Khan, 2017), or due to increasing weight of bursa and spleen which are the sites of B and T cells differentiation. Propolis supplementation causing increase in antibody response to Newcastle disease virus, avian influenza and infectious bursal disease, there is a negative effect of high concentration of propolis on the humoral immunity of broilers against Newcastle and bursal virus on days 21 and 42 the antibody concentration increased with a dose of propolis up to 100 mg/kg but the antibody concentration declined when the dose of propolis increased (Taheri et al, 2005;Ziaran et al, 2005).…”