Effects of Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Venom Supplementation on Body Weight and Meat Quality in Broiler Chickens

The effects of supplementing water with bee venom (BV) on performance, antioxidant activity, and liver function in Arbor Acres broiler chickens were investigated. Hence, two experimental treatment groups (control, 0.5ppm BV) were allocated to three replicates of 15,000 1-d-old chicks each. The control group was maintained on tap water, whereas the other two groups were supplied water supplemented with 0.5 ppm of BV, respectively, per liter of drinking water. Broilers were provided ad libitum access to feed for the experimental period of 1 to 28-d-of-age. Supplementing drinking water with BV significantly increased body weight gain at 28-d-of-age (P＜0.05). The average daily weight gain from d 1 to 28 increased (P＜0.05) for birds supplemented with BV compared with control birds. Improved feed intake was noted in the group supplemented with BV as compared with control chicks. Aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase activity as well as total cholesterol, total protein, albumin and globulin did not change with BV supplementation. The BV treatment did not alter the number of leukocytes, erythrocytes, heterophils or lymphocytes. We analyzedchemical composition and meat quality for 28d. Crude ash increased approximately 15% in the BV treatment group as compared to the control. These data suggest better broiler performance and meat quality with BV supplementation under the severely stressful conditions that newly born chicks encounter.