Evaluation of Propolis as Natural Growth Promoter for Broiler Chicks : New natural feed additive

An international consensus has been reached on the basic principles of hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP). and how they should be implemented to reduce hazards and achieving food safety.Many countries tend to prohibit use of antibiotics as growth promoters because of their adverse effects as their residual problems in tissues and eggs of birds. Supplementation of natural components in poultry ration is now widely distributed in the world. Over last years using natural products is going to be substituted for antibiotics in order to improve immune system and fight against pathogens in human and animal life. In contrast to antibiotics these products do not have side effects and are very useful in food chain. One of the increasingly important recent natural products that have been found to modulate immune functions and growth promoting, is propolis. Propolis or bee glue is collected by bees which is rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids, cafeic acid and their related esters. Thus,the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of extracted propolis on growth performance and immune response of the broiler chicks.