Two experiments were run at the Poultry Sector of the Animal Science Department of the Federal University of Lavras (Brazil) with the objective of determining the nutritive value of propollis residue for broiler feeding. In the first experiment, the metabolizable energy of propollis residue was determined. In this experiment, 16 adults fed with 2,500 ± 100 g of propollis were housed in a metabolism cage (Sibbald and Slinger, 1963). Two rations with eight replicates, one bird each, after an adaptation period of three day period and feces collection for five days were utilized. The two rations were (i) reference ration based on corn and soybean meal and (ii) 80 % of the reference ration plus 20% of the propollis extraction residue. The value of apparent metabolizable energy was 941 kcal/kg DM. In addition, we found 20% crude protein, 27% ether extract, and 14% raw fiber. In the second experiment, the bird performance was evaluated by using five diets with 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12% of propollis extraction residue in a completely randomized performance design. The rations were isonutritive, with four replicates of males and four females, with 30 birds each, amounting to 1.200 birds, reared in 2 × 1.5-m boxes in a stonework house. In the first phase, 1 to 21 days, for the variable ration intake, there were no significant effects for residue levels and for level × gender interaction (P >0.05). Nevertheless, there was a significant effect only for gender (P <0.01) and there was no interaction between levels and gender (P <0.05). Weight gain worsened linearly when the residue levels in the ration were raised for both males and females, observing that in this period the addition of residue provided a growing linear feed conversion for males and females. In phase 1 to 42 days, for ration intake, there was a significant effect for gender (P<0.01) and for level × gender interaction (P <0.05), but there was no significant difference among females (P <0.05). There was a significant effect only for males (P <0.05) which presented a maximum consumption of 5% of inclusion of residue in the ration. Weight gain of males and females in this phase decreased linearly and also increased in linear form for feed conversion in both genders with the addition of the residue in the ration. The use of propollis residue up to 3% in the ration increased weight gain in phase 1 to 21 days. But in broiler feeding from 1 to 42 days reduced the weight gain, worsened feed conversion and increased ration intake.
Broiler chicken; nutrititon of monogastric; propollis residue
