Effects of bee pollen inclusion on performance and carcass characteristics of broiler chickens

Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the effect of bee pollen(BP) inclusion on performance and carcass characteristics in broiler chickens. A total of 240 Ross 308 broiler chicks were allocated to 4 treat-ments (BP inclusion levels of 0,4,8, or 12 g/kg DM feed) in a randomized complete block design with sex as a block having 3 replicates with 10 chickens per repli-cate. After 21 d, the chickens remained in their treat-ment groups and fed standard grower diet. The results of the current study revealed that BP inclusion had posi-tively improved (P<0.05) average weekly feed intake (FI), bodyweight (BW), bodyweightgain (BWG), and feed conversion ratio (FCR) in both sexes. How-ever, the apparent nutrient digestibility, metabolizable energy (ME), and nutrient digestibility were not affected by the dietary BP. Furthermore, carcass yield in both sexes was improved (P<0.05) by BP inclusion levels. Incontrast, meat pH, shearforce, and sensory evaluation in both sexes were not affected (P>0.05). The results suggest that the broiler chicks can utilize bioactive compounds in BP when supplemented in the starter diets and subsequently improve their growth parameters throughout the growing period as well as carcass yield at slaughter age. These positive improve-ments could be due to high quality amino acids, essential oils, vitamins, and minerals of BP. Therefore, it is con-cluded that BP inclusion level of 12g /kg or more in the starter diets could have positive effects on growth per-formance and carcass yield at slaughter age without causing adverse effects on meat physico-chemical prop-erties and sensory evaluation in both male and female broiler chickens.