Objective

:To evaluate the potentialities of the utilization of zootechnical additives in apiculture in Cuba.

Materials and Methods

:Papers available in online data bases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar), related to the use of zootechnical additives in honey bees (Apis mellifera), were reviewed. A search was made for the keywords zootechnical additives, probiotics, prebiotics and phytobiotics, plant extract, and then the word bees was added. All the searches were carried out between 2019 and 2020. There was no exclusion of any period and no language restrictions were applied.

Results

:The utilization of antibiotics in the control and prevention of bacterial infections in apiculture has caused changes in the rearing of this species, and since then their use is limited in many countries. In the face of this reality, the use of zootechnical additives constitutes an alternative, due to their capacity to modulate the immunological system and the intestinal microflora in bees; besides having an antagonist function against pathogens. In the last decades it has been noted that probiotics and plant extracts are the most widely used to improve health and productive indicators, for which work is done to achieve their standardization in Cuba.

Conclusions

:Obtaining and evaluating zootechnical additives in bees is a growing strategy worldwide, which is focused on minimizing or eliminating the use of chemicals. In Cuba, the use of these additives constitutes a sustainable proposal to improve health indicators, and thus maintain the quality of honeys.

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