Intenzivan uzgoj životinja s ciljem proizvodnje hrane doveo je tijekom posljednjih nekoliko desetljeća do znatnog povećanja uporabe veterinarskih lijekova u stočarstvu i to kako u liječenju tako i u sprječavanju nastanka bolesti. Usporedo s porastom uporabe veterinarskih lijekova, suvremena stočarska proizvodnja postala je također nezamisliva bez uporabe različitih promotora rasta. Kao rezultat toga, nadležne institucije širom svijeta pokrenule su brojne inicijative za ograničavanje uporabe svih spomenutih tvari u suvremenoj stočarskoj proizvodnji. Istodobno, kako bi se postigla što uspješnija te isplativija proizvodnja, u stočarstvu se danas sve više upotrebljavaju različiti prirodni dodatci hrani. Jedan od korištenih prirodnih dodataka hrani je pčelinja pelud koja sadrži većinu bitnih prehrambenih elemenata potrebnih za rast i razvoj. Pčelinja pelud sastoji se od muških spolnih stanica biljaka. U njoj je do danas otkriveno oko 250 različitih kemijskih tvari, uključujući ugljikohidrate, masti, proteine, vitamine, makro- i mikroelemente, antibiotike (inhibine), hormone, enzime, organske kiseline, esencijalna ulja, rutin i druge. Bioaktivne komponente pčelinje peludi uključuju flavonoide, fenolne kiseline i njihove derivate koji su ujedno odgovorni za baktericidne, antiviralne, antifugalne, analgetske, antiupalne, antioksidativne te imunostimulirajuće i imunomodulirajuće učinke ovih spojeva kod ljudi i životinja. Imajući na umu sve prethodno spomenute karakteristike pčelinje peludi te zahtjeve suvremene stočarske proizvodnje postalo je jasno zašto se upravo pčelinja pelud danas sve češće koristi kao dodatak hrani životinja.Intensive animal farming with the aim of producing food has over the past few decades led to a substantial increase in the use of veterinary drugs in animal husbandry both for treatment and for prevention of diseases. Along with the increase in the use of veterinary drugs, modern livestock production has also become unthinkable without the use of different growth promoters. As a result, competent authorities in the world have launched a number of initiatives to restrict the use of such substances in modern livestock production. At the same time, in order to achieve a successful and cost-effective production, in today’s animal husbandry one can see increased use of various natural food additives. One of the used natural food sup¬plements is bee pollen, which contains most of the essential nutritional elements needed for growth and development. Bee pollen consists of the male reproductive cells of plants. To date, about 250 various chemical compounds, have been determined in it, including carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins, macro - and microelements, antibiotics (inhibins), hormones, enzymes, organic acids, essential oils, rutin, and others. Bioactive compounds of bee pollen include flavonoids, phenolic acids and their derivatives that are responsible for the bactericidal, antiviral, antifungal, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, immunostimulating and immunomodulating effects of these substances in humans and animals. Bearing in mind all the aforementioned characteristics of bee pollen and demands of modern livestock production it has become clear why nowadays bee pollen is often used as a feed additive
