Effects of Propolis Administration on Growth Performance and Neonatal Diarrhea of Calves

Abstract

SOJ Veterinary Sciences Open Access Research Article 10]. It has not known adverse effects of propolis on human and animal health, except possible rarely seldom allergies. Our study was based on the study of Gubicza and Molnar and Kwon et al. [11,12]. These researchers examined the preventative and treated effect of propolis usage on neonatal calf diarrhea. The aim of our study was to examine the effect of propolis on growth rate of calves. Methods Twenty Holstein calves that were born in winter period in Menemen Agricultural Research Institute, Izmir were utilized as research material. Five female and male calves had been used in both control and propolis group. Calves were randomly assigned to the groups (Table 1). Calves were allocated with their mothers and fed colostrums for the first three days after the birth [13]. After they housed in portable individual calf pen, and milk was given to calves one in a day from bucket with a nipple at 8.30-10.00 am. Calves were reared with limited milk for 5 weeks. Milk were increased until 3 rd week then decreased from 3 rd week to the final of the 5 th week [14,15]. All calves were weaned at the end of the 5 th week. Each calf had drunk 154 kg milk in five weeks. Besides, clover hay were given ad libitum to calves after the second weeks, water was given from the first week. Clover hay consumption was not recorded. The raw propolis was Pinus spp. origin and supported from the beekeepers Izmir and nearby, stored at -18°C in deepfreeze until using. Raw propolis was grinded in mini coffee machine and made as granule form. After grinding, 500 g propolis was weighted and dissolved in 1lt of ethyl alcohol (70%) in dark and tightly closed bottle. The bottle was shaked 4 times in a day regularly as manual and left in dark place at room temperature Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of propolis on growth performance and neonatal diarrhea of calves. Five females and five male calves from both control and propolis treatment groups, 20 Holstein calves, had been used, totally. Calves in both control and treatment groups were fed with same amount of milk once in a day Propolis tincture were given to calves 2cc in a day after milk feeding. The research was prosectioned for 35 days. Daily weight gain of females in control and propolis treatment groups was found 312.8 g/day and 392.83 g/day. Daily weight gain of males in both groups was found 458.31 g/day and 470.50 g/day. Daily weight gain was found significant (P < 0.05) in females. Significant differences had been obtained in both body and shoulder length parameters between control and treatment groups of females (P < 0.05). The only statistically important difference had been appeared between two groups of males for withers height. Neonatal diarrhea did not observe in propolis administration group. The results of the research showed that the effect of propolis administration was important on growth of calves and is very expectant for preventing neonatal diarrhea that cause a serious economic loss.