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Impact of Brazilian red propolis extract on blood metabolites, milk production, and lamb performance of Santa Inês ewes

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Abstract

Twenty Santa Inês ewes used to evaluate effects of oral administration of Brazilian red propolis extract on blood metabolites, milk production, and lamb performance were randomly grouped (n = 10 ewes/group) to control without propolis administration and propolis treated (3 g red propolis extract/ewe/day) 21 days before expected lambing date. Blood samples were collected weekly, and daily milk yield was recorded twice weekly until 7 weeks postpartum. Propolis administration increased (P < 0.05) total leukocyte counts, protein, and globulin and glucose concentrations, decreased (P < 0.05) somatic cell counts, and enhanced (P < 0.05) yields of milk, fat, protein, and lactose. Propolis supplementation increased (P < 0.05) average daily gain and milk conversion ratio but had no effect on lamb birth and weaning weights. The prepartum administration of propolis extract supported positively the transition of ewes from pregnancy to lactation with health benefits achieved for both of ewes and lambs performances.

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Acknowledgments

This project was funded in part by The World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), Trieste, Italy, and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq) (3240188145) in Brazil. The authors are grateful to Mr. Alessandro Esteves for providing the propolis samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Livestock Research Department, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications (SRTA-City), New Borg El-Arab, Alexandria, Egypt

    Amr S. Morsy

  2. Faculty of Agriculture, Animal Production Department, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt

    Yosra A. Soltan & Sobhy M. A. Sallam

  3. Department of Agri-Food industry, Food and Nutrition, College of Agriculture “Luiz de Queiroz”, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil

    Severino M. Alencar

  4. Centre for Nuclear Energy in Agriculture, Laboratory of Animal Nutrition, University of São Paulo, Piracicaba, Brazil

    Adibe L. Abdalla

Authors
  1. Amr S. Morsy
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  2. Yosra A. Soltan
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  3. Sobhy M. A. Sallam
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  4. Severino M. Alencar
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  5. Adibe L. Abdalla
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Correspondence to Amr S. Morsy.

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Morsy, A.S., Soltan, Y.A., Sallam, S.M.A. et al. Impact of Brazilian red propolis extract on blood metabolites, milk production, and lamb performance of Santa Inês ewes. Trop Anim Health Prod 48, 1043–1050 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1054-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-016-1054-1

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