Effects of using propolis extracts during incubation and breeder age on heart and lung development of broilers

In the present study, the effects of breeder flock age and the propolis extract spraying on eggs during incubation period on chick, heart and lung weights were investigated. For this purpose, 1920 hatching eggs (640 from each breeding flock age) obtained from breeding flocks of three different ages as young (28 weeks), middle-aged (36 weeks) and old (60 weeks) constituted the material of the study. During the incubation period, propolis extract was applied to the eggs in three different doses (control; 0.5 1.0 and 2.0 ml/L) as spray. The effects of flock age and propolis extract application on chick, heart and lung weights were evaluated. At the end of the study, it was determined that breeder age affected the hatching egg weight, chick weight, heart weight and lung weight (p<0.05), propolis extract application affected the chick weight, heart and lung weights (p<0.05). It is thought that it is necessary to continue the studies on the subject and to carry out more comprehensive studies that will include the post-incubation stages.