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Propolis can be an alternative to the use of ionophores in ruminants due to presence of compounds like flavonoids, fenolic acids, esters, fenolic aldehydes and ketones. In this study the impact of solid residue from alcoholic extraction of brown propolis (RBP) added to the diet for feedlot lambs on nutrients intake and digestibility, productive performance, body morphometric measures, carcass characteristics and meat fatty acid profile was determined. Twenty-four Texel × Suffolk crossbred castrated male lambs (19.83 ± 2.07 kg) were fed diet with 0 (negative control), 5, 10 g RBP per kg dry matter (DM) or monensin (positive control, 26 mg/kg DM), in total ration with roughage:concentrate ratio of 400:600 (w/w). RBP addition regardless used dose positively influenced (P < 0.05) productive performance parameters (final weight and daily weight gain). However, diet with 5 g RBP/kg DM lowered feed conversion ratio in comparison to negative control. Nutrient intake, digestibility of DM (684 g/kg), organic matter (701 g/kg) and fibre (695 g/kg) were similar among treatments. Live body length (78.89 cm), external carcass length (75.4 cm) and carcass compactness (0.253 kg/cm) also did not differ between groups. Moreover, diet supplementation with RBP did not affect hot and chilled carcass yields (451 and 447 g/kg, respectively). The addition of 5 g RBP/kg DM caused lower concentration of stearic acid (C18:0) and higher of oleic (C18:1n-9) and linoleic acids (C18:2n-6) in longissimus muscle of lambs in comparison to muscle from animals fed diet with monensin or control one. So, RBP can be used as nutritional additive to lamb feed to increase animal performance and modify meat fatty acid profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was aimed to examine the nutritional efficiency of the balanced supply of flavonoids from the crude or ethanol extract of brown propolis on behaviour, productive performance and carcass traits of lambs in feedlot. Twenty four male lambs were divided into 4 groups (6 animals in each) and fed diet supplemented with: crude brown propolis [13 g/kg dry matter (DM)], propolis ethanol extract (15 ml/kg DM), sodic monensin (0.032 g/kg DM) - positive control, or diet without any enrichment (negative control). The basic diet was a total mixed ration with roughage:concentrate ratio of 500:500 (w/w). In animals receiving crude propolis (P < 0.05) DM intake was higher than in animals fed sodic monensin in the diet. The use of feed additives did not affect feeding behaviour and lambs performance. Carcass yield was lower (P < 0.05) in lambs receiving diet with sodic monensin than in lambs fed diets with crude propolis. Also the propolis extract addition into diet decreased carcass yield in comparison to control group. Propolis addition altered the fatty acid profile of meat reducing saturated fatty acid content and increasing unsaturated one in comparison to control group. So, brown propolis supplementation can influence lamb carcass traits and meat quality; however the form of propolis is an important factor. The possible addition of propolis into animal feed can be important from human nutrition point of view. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]