The Effects of Propolis Extract on Growth Performance, Blood Parameters and Antioxidant Status in Holstein Suckling Calves.

Inroduction & Propolis is a substance with pharmacological properties for treatment of various human and animaldisesases. Propolis has antimicrobial, antifungal and antioxidant activitise that strengthens the immune system of different animal species. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of propolis extract on growth performance, blood parameters and antioxidant status of Holstein suckling calves.
Material and Methods For this study, 24 Holstein calves with 1 ± 10 day avarage age and 38 ± 2 kg avarage weight in a completely randomized design for 70 days were wased. The experimental treatments were: 1) control diet without propolis extract supplements, 2) control diet 500 ppm propolis extract per head per day, 3) control diet 1000 ppm propolis extract per head per day. Calves were weighed every two weeks and blood sampeles were taken on d 30 and d 60 of the experiment and analyses for blood metabolites and antioxidant activity.
The results showed that use of different levels of propolis extract had no significant effect on feed intake during the first and second months and total trial period. supplemental propolis extract did not show significant effect on final weight, weight gain and feed conversion ratio during the first and second months, whereas adding 500 ppm of propolis in extract improved significantly the daily weight gain of calves in total trial period. no significant differences were observed between concentrations of blood metabolites (glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride, albumin, urea and globulin). The results showed that adding propolis extract had no significant effects pn activites blood of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amino transferase and glutathione peroxidase blood whereas supplementing milk with propolis extract affected significantly blood antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase activity.
In general it can be concluded that the use of propolis extract had no effect on performance and blood metabolites except for superoxide dismutase activity and total antioxidant capacity, propolis extract supplementation in suckling calf milkcan effectively help to cope with the stress.