The effect of soluble propolis in milk on the performance of Holstein suckling calves

Abstract Text: This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of added soluble propolis in milk on the dry matter intake, body weight, digestibility and feed efficiency of Holstein suckling calves. Propolis in this experiment was come from Taleghan vicinity (near Tehran). 40 female Holstein calves with average 41±1 kg birth weight were used from 14 to 65 days old. Calves were fed according to completely randomized design with 4 treatments (rations) and 10 replicates (calves) in each treatment .Treatments included: 1) Control (without Monensin in starter and without propolis in milk).2) Starter without Monensin and 500ppm soluble propolis powder in milk.3) Starter without Monensin and 1000ppm soluble propolis powder in milk. 4) Monensin in starter and without propolis in milk. In order to reduce the stress of weaning, calves stayed in their boxes after weaning for 9 days. Individual dry matter intake was measured daily, and weight gain was measured each 14 days. Digestibility was measured with fecal sampling after weaning and the marker was acid insoluble ash (AIA). The results showed that dry matter intake had no significant differences among treatments in suckling period. But differences among dry matter intake of calves after suckling period were significant (p=0.01). Means feed intake in whole period for treatments 1-4 were 1115.51, 1034.24, 1054.76, 920.81 g/d respectively and their differences were significant (p=0.04). Means body weight for treatments 1-4 were 64.67, 60.84, 64.89, 62.25 kg respectively, and there was a significant differences among treatments (p=0.01). The feed efficiency for treatments 1-4 were 0.402, 0.393, 0.410, 0.404 and there were no significant differences among treatments (p=0.9). Apparent digestibility of OM (76.76%, 76.89%, 78.03%, 78.11%), DM (78.97%, 76.12%, 77.32%, 77.42%) and NDF (57.99%, 52.49%, 52.89%, 52.60%) for treatments 1-4 respectively had no significant differences .The results showed the positive effect of propolis (biological additive) on the both dry matter intake and body weight in compare of Monensin (synthetic additive) which had the lowest dry matter intake and low body weight. Therefore, this study suggested that propolis could improve performance of calves.

Keywords: propolis, performance of calves, Monensin