Bee Pollen as a Natural Modulator of Glucose and Protein Metabolism in Crossbred Goats

Abstract Goat and sheep production are critical for global food security, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions where these species are well-suited. However, most production systems are managed under extensive conditions, where animals are routinely challenged by poor nutrition and gastrointestinal parasite burdens. These constraints reduce nutrient and energy availability, impair reproductive performance, and impose genetic pressure on survival. The combined effects have contributed to declining small ruminant populations, with the U.S. goat herd decreasing by 2% in the past year alone. Bee pollen, a natural supplement rich in amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds, has been proposed as a functional feed additive capable of supporting metabolism, immune function, and reproduction. The physiological mechanisms through which bee pollen affects ruminant metabolism remain poorly defined. Conventional metabolic biomarkers, such as glucose, albumin, and total protein, provide valuable insights, and studies examining bee pollen’s influence on these indicators in goats are scarce. This study investigated the effects of bee pollen supplementation on glucose, albumin, and total protein concentrations in crossbred Boer x Spanish goats. Thirty goats were stratified by BW and randomly assigned to one of two treatments: bee pollen supplementation (T-BP; n = 15) or control (T-CTL; n = 15). The T-BP group received 10 g/d of bee pollen, administered individually in a milking parlor to ensure accurate intake, along with 50 g/d/hd of concentrate (12% CP; 2.96 MJ/kg). The T-CTL group received the same concentration without bee pollen. Both groups were maintained on a diet formulated at maintenance level (8.3% CP; 2.03 Kcal/kg ME) with limited physical activity. Blood samples were collected weekly, processed by centrifugation, and analyzed for glucose, albumin, and total protein concentrations. Individual animals served as experimental units, and data were analyzed using mixed models by date with repeated measures. Bee pollen supplementation did not significantly affect mean plasma concentrations (mean ± SEM) of glucose (T-BP: 0.18 ± 0.005 vs. T-CTL: 0.19 ± 0.004 mg/dL), albumin (T-BP: 0.21 ± 0.004 vs. T-CTL: 0.22 ± 0.09 mg/dL), or total protein (T-BP: 0.05 ± 0.001 vs. T-CTL: 0.06 ± 0.002 µg/mL) (P 0.05). However, sampling date significantly influenced glucose (P 0.001), albumin (P 0.05), and total protein (P 0.05), indicating temporal variation independent of treatment. In conclusion, daily supplementation with 10 g of bee pollen did not affect plasma glucose, albumin, or total protein in crossbred goats at energy balance. Further metabolomic studies may clarify its broader effects on metabolism.