Effect of Nutrition with Propolis and Bee Pollen Supplements on Bacteria Colonization Pattern in Gastrointestinal Tract of Broiler Chickens.

For replace of banned antibiotics used as growth promoters in broiler chicken nutrition, the supplements as probiotics, prebiotics, antioxidants, acidifiers and enzymes, has been mainly studied. These alternative substances improved the feed conversion, performance, growth and health of broiler chickens through a mechanisms associated with gastrointestinal tract and bacteria colonization. Propolis and bee pollen belong to the group of naturally occurring substances of animal and plant origin with antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The scope of this study was to find a counts of Enterococcus sp., Enterobacteriaceae family and lactic acid bacteria in crop, ileum and caecum of broiler chickens after propolis and bee pollen addition in their nutrition. Lower dosages of propolis and higher dosages of bee pollen in chicken nutrition significantly (P<0.05) reduced the count of Enterobacteriaceae family isolates in chicken's crops, while the number of beneficial lactic acid bacteria in chicken's crops with presence of propolis was increased. Ileum and caecum of broiler chickens in experimental group of chickens with higher amount of bee pollen had the lowest (P>0.05) number of Enterobacteriaceae family isolates. The bacteria colonization pattern in gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens can be affected also by combination of nutrition supplements and pH value which can provide the advantage to some bacteria and influenced their competitiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]