Effect of bee glue on growth performance and immune response of broiler chickens

Figures & data

Table 1. The ingredients and chemical composition of the basal diets (g/kg, as fresh matter).

	Starter (0–21 days)	Finisher (22–42 days)
Ingredients, g/kg
Corn	536.3	598.1
Soybean meal	355.1	309.3
Fish meal	50.0	0.0
Soybean oil	27.2	55.4
Dicalcium phosphate	10.3	14.1
Oyster shell	10.8	12.2
DL-Methoinine	1.3	1.9
Common salt	4.0	4.0
Trace minerals mix	2.5	2.5
Vitamins mix	2.5	2.5
Calculated analysis
Metabolizable energy, MJ/kg	2990	3195
Available phosphorus, g/kg	5.2	4.2
Lysine, g/kg	11.3	10.1
Methionine, g/kg	3.7	3.8
Analysed composition (g/kg)
Crude protein (N × 6.25)	230.0	185.0
Calcium	10.5	8.5
Fibre	38.7	36.5

Notes: Mineral mix supplied/kg diet: Mn, 55 mg; Zn, 50 mg; Fe, 80 mg; Cu, 5 mg; Se, 0.1 mg; I, 0.18 mg. Vitamins mix supplied/kg diet: vitamin A, 18,000 IU; vitamin D₃, 4000 IU; vitamin E, 36 mg; vitamin K₃, 4 mg; vitamin B₁₂, 0.03 mg; thiamine, 1.8 mg; riboflavin, 13.2 mg; pyridoxine, 6 mg; niacin, 60 mg; calcium pantothenate, 20 mg; folic acid, 2 mg; biotin, 0.2 mg; choline chloride, 500 mg.

Figure 1. Effect of BG on mortality rate of broiler chickens during 1–42 days of age. Means without a common superscript (a-b) differ significantly (P < .05).

Figure 2. Effect of BG on average European broiler index in broiler chicks at 42 days of age. Means without a common superscript (a-b) differ significantly (P < .05).

Table 2. Effect of BG on body weight, ADG, ADFI, and feed to gain ratio (FCR) of broiler chicks.

Parameter	Control	BG (mg kg^−1)				SEM	P-value
		600	700	800	900
Body weight, g
21 days	657^b	731^ab	735^ab	752^a	722^ab	8.9	.017
42 days	2503^b	2650^ab	2659^ab	2717^a	2651^ab	21.4	.039
Starter period, 1–21 days of age
ADG, g	31.3^b	34.8^b	35.0^ab	35.8^a	34.4^b	0.1	.045
ADFI, g	49.8	50.6	51.3	52.1	50.4	0.4	.119
FCR, g/g	1.59^a	1.45^b	1.46^b	1.46^b	1.47^b	0.01	.007
Finisher period, 22–42 days of age
ADG, g	88.0^b	91.3^ab	91.6^ab	93.6^a	91.8^ab	0.2	.038
ADFI, g	160.4^b	165.4^ab	162.5^ab	167.1^a	162.2^ab	1.2	.026
FCR, g/g	1.82^a	1.81^a	1.77^b	1.78^b	1.77^b	0.02	.005
Overall, 1–42 days of age
ADG, g	59.6^b	63.1^ab	63.3^ab	64.7^a	63.1^ab	0.4	.029
ADFI, g	105.1^b	108.2^ab	107.3^ab	109.2^a	106.3^b	0.5	.034
FCR, g/g	1.76^a	1.71^b	1.69^b	1.68^b	1.68^b	0.02	.003

Notes: Mean values within a row with no common superscript differ significantly from each other (P < .05). Each value represents the mean of eight observations (four replicates × 2 birds/replicate).

Table 3. Effect of BG on CW, CY, AF-to-CW ratio (AF:CW) in broiler chicks at 42 days of age.

Parameter	Control	BG (mg kg^−1)				SEM	P-value
		600	700	800	900
CW, g	1618^b	1695^b	1693^b	1819^a	1692^b	15.4	.026
CY, %	64.63^b	63.94^b	63.67^b	66.96^a	63.83^b	2.40	.022
AF:CW	2.22	2.41	2.98	2.34	2.83	0.06	.187

Notes: Mean values within a row with no common superscript differ significantly from each other (P < .05). Each value represents the mean of eight observations (four replicates × 2 birds/replicate).

Table 4. Effect of BG on weight and length percentage in certain gastrointestinal-tract segments of broiler chicks at 42 days of age.

Variable	Control	BG (mg kg^−1)				SEM	P-value
		600	700	800	900
Relative weight (g/100 g of BW)
Crop	0.31^b	0.28^b	0.29^b	0.36^a	0.36^a	0.05	.045
Proventriculus	0.36	0.40	0.37	0.36	0.39	0.02	.114
Gizzard	1.15	1.14	1.20	1.13	1.15	0.17	.156
Gall bladder	0.068	0.067	0.081	0.065	0.071	0.002	.112
Relative length (cm/100 g of BW)
Duodenum	1.17	1.26	1.21	1.18	1.23	0.22	.129
Jejunum	2.94	2.95	2.97	2.96	3.07	0.34	.134
Ileum	3.17	3.07	3.16	3.10	3.09	0.47	.128

Notes: Mean values within a row with no common superscript differ significantly from each other (P < .05). Each value represents the mean of eight observations (four replicates × 2 birds/replicate).

Table 5. Effect of BG on relative weight of liver, pancreas, spleen, and bursa (g/100 g BW) in broiler chicks at 42 days of age.

Variable	Control	BG (mg kg^−1)				SEM	P-value
		600	700	800	900
Liver	2.28	2.29	2.26	2.27	2.22	0.14	.118
Pancreas	0.182	0.190	0.185	0.176	0.191	0.012	.136
Spleen	0.131^b	0.132^b	0.124^b	0.128^b	0.140^a	0.011	.034
Bursa	0.163^b	0.170^b	0.181^b	0.175^b	0.202^a	0.032	.025

Notes: Mean values within a row with no common superscript differ significantly from each other (P < .05). Each value represents the mean of eight observations (four replicates × 2 birds/replicate).

Table 6. Effect of BG on some blood parameters (at 42 days) and immune response (at 35 days) in broiler chicks.

Variable	Control	BG (mg kg^−1)				SEM	P-value
		600	700	800	900
Parameter (mg dL^−1)
Triglycerides	67.0^a	70.0^a	71.3^a	63.3^a	52.7^b	2.6	.024
Cholesterol	164^a	177^a	170^a	171^a	149^b	3.5	.019
LDL	71.0^a	73.1^a	68.5^a	70.5^a	57.0^b	2.5	.026
HDL	91.0	90.2	84.1	86.0	84.7	3.1	.126
LDL:HDL	0.78^a	0.81^a	0.82^a	0.82^a	0.67^b	0.04	.034
Immune response
SRBC	2.5^b	4.0^a	4.8^a	4.5^a	3.7^a	0.1	.028
IgG	1.5^b	1.3^b	2.0^a	2.3^a	2.2^a	0.1	.006
IgM	1.2^b	1.5^b	2.5^a	2.7^a	2.8^a	0.1	.005

Notes: Mean values within a row with no common superscript differ significantly from each other (P < .05). Each value represents the mean of eight observations (four replicates × 2 birds/replicate). SRBC, sheep red blood cell.