Effect of propolis in diet supplementation on the immune response against Newcastle disease and hematological picture in broiler chicks

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with propolis on immune response against Newcastle disease virus and hematological picture at 21 and 42 day old chicks. One hundred and eighty Ross broiler chicks were reared from 1 day to 47 day old they were divided randomly to six groups (30 birds/group), feed and drinking water offered ad libitum and experimental were groups treated as follows: Group 1(G1) received propolis (0.5 g/kg feed), while group 2 (G2) received propolis (1 g/kg feed), Group 3 (G3) received propolis (2 g/kg feed), group 4 (G4) received propolis (3 g/kg feed) and group 5 (G5) was control positive received (basal diet without propolis but vaccinated). Group 6 (G6) control negative received (basal diet without propolis and non vaccinated). The obtained results referred to high Abs titer (P≤0.01) in G4, G3 and G2 against Newcastle disease virus at the end of the experiment as compared with G1, G5 and G6. Although increase in blood picture was observed in G4, G3, G2 and G1 (P ≤0.01) compared with G5 and G6 had no significant increase (P ≥ 0.01).