Bee pollen as natural additive in poultry nutrition: a review

Due to the European Union ban on antibiotic growth promoters in 2006, there has been a rising interest in natural substitutes for antibiotics in poultry nutrition. These substitutes include various plants, herbs, organic acids, probiotics, prebiotics, and synbiotics. When incorporated into compound feeds for poultry, these additives show comparable production results to antibiotic growth promoters, especially when accompanied by other changes such as environmental adjustments. Bee pollen is a good source of active substances, including proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and phenolic compounds that can be incorporated in animal feed to enhance gut activity and promote growth in poultry production. This review highlights the benefits of adding bee pollen to poultry nutrition and its influence on performance, health, meat and egg quality.