In ovo injection of bee pollen extract on hatchability, chick quality, glycogen reserves and production performance in broiler chickens

Abstract

ABSTRACT: This study aimed to investigate the effects of in ovo injection of bee pollen (BP) extract on some hatching traits, glycogen reserves and production performance in broilers. A total of 886 eggs was randomly assigned to 5 treatments: the 0.9% NaCl diluent-injected control group, and the groups that were injected with BP extract at 3 different concentrations: BP-1.5%, BP-2.5% and BP-5.0% (7, 12 and 25 mg/egg, respectively). The last group received a carbohydrate solution (CS). At 18 d of incubation, 500 µL of each solution was injected into the air sac of each egg of the injected groups. After hatching, a total of 570 one-day-old chicks were distributed into 5 groups (in ovo injection) with 3 replicates with 38 birds. The in ovo injection of BP at a dose of 5% and CS resulted in lower hatching rates (P 0.05). Supplementation of embryos with BP extract also caused a significant increase in the length of chicks in the BP-1.5% group (P < 0.001). Hatched chicks from the injected eggs had a lower liver glycogen content than that of the control. Based on the results, it was concluded that high-quality day-old chicks could be obtained by in ovo injection. Supplementation of chicks with 1.5% BP extract had a beneficial effect on BW during the first rearing period and showed a hypocholesterolemic effect in young chicks. At the same time, an adverse effect of a high dose of BP (5%) and a carbohydrate solution administered in ovo on the hatchability level of chicks was shown. The implementation of the carbohydrate mixture resulted in a deterioration of biochemical indices in the plasma of newly hatched chicks, especially in the case of transaminase activity.

Keywords

• in-ovo feeding
• bee pollen
• glycogen
• chick quality
• performance