Intestinal Morphology in Broiler Chickens Supplemented with Propolis and Bee Pollen

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Consumers are becoming more aware of the nutritional value of foods, and they want to consume food that provides health benefits beyond the provision of essential nutrients. Chicken meat could fulfil the above requirements due to its high nutrient content and relatively low caloric value, and it serves as an interesting basis for functional foods. In this study, we evaluated the effects of propolis and bee pollen, as potential additives, on the intestinal morphology and absorptive surface areas of broiler chickens. The results of this study showed that supplementation of broilers with propolis and/or bee pollen has a profoundly beneficial effect on intestinal morphology and absorptive surface areas. Thus, these natural additives could be used as alternative additives in modern broiler production, while chicken meat can be even more beneficial for human health. ABSTRACT: The aim of this study was to determine the influence of dietary supplementation with propolis and bee pollen on the intestinal morphology and absorptive surface areas of chickens. Two hundred day-old Ross 308 chickens (100 male and 100 female) were equally allocated into five groups. Throughout the whole study, the control group of chickens was fed with a basal diet, while the experimental groups of chickens were fed with the same diet supplemented with propolis and bee pollen: P1 = 0.25 g of propolis/kg + 20 g of bee pollen/kg; P2 = 0.5 g of propolis/kg; P3 = 1.0 g of propolis/kg; P4 = 20 g of bee pollen/kg. The duodenal villi of chickens from all experimental groups were significantly higher and wider (p < 0.001), while their duodenal villi crypts were significantly deeper (p < 0.001) in comparison with these parameters in chickens from the control group. The villus height to crypt depth ratio, as well as the absorptive surface areas of broiler chickens, were significantly increased (p < 0.001) in experimental groups of chickens in comparison with the control group. These findings suggest that dietary supplementation with propolis and bee pollen has a beneficial effect on broilers chickens’ intestinal morphophysiology.