Metabolomic Profiling Uncovers Physiological and Parasitological Adaptations to Bee Pollen Supplementation in Goats

Parasitic infections compromise livestock health, productivity, and profitability, while rising anthelmintic resistance restricts the effectiveness of conventional parasite control strategies. Bee pollen (BP) contains bioactive compounds with immunomodulatory and antimicrobial potential. This study investigated whether dietary BP supplementation reduces parasite burden and influences liver function, hematological and metabolic profiles, and circulating metabolomic signatures in goats. Thirty crossbred Boer × Spanish does were randomly assigned to either a BP-supplemented group (T-BP; n = 15) or a control group (T-CTL; n = 15). Over 49 days, T-BP goats received 10 g/day BP mixed with 50 g/day pelleted feed, while controls received the same feed without BP. Body weight, weekly blood samples, FAMACHA scores, and biweekly fecal egg counts (FEC) were collected. We assessed metabolomic profiles on days -8, 21, 42, and 56. Data were analyzed using mixed models and repeated measures. We identified strongyle-type eggs, presumably Haemonchus contortus, as the predominant parasite. No significant differences were observed between treatments for body weight, liver enzymes, metabolic biomarkers, or hematological profiles (p > 0.05). FEC varied over time (p < 0.001), with significantly lower FEC in BP-supplemented goats only on Day 42 (p < 0.05). Metabolomic differences were significant on Days 21 and 42 but not on Day 56. These differences involved metabolites annotated to lipid signaling, inflammatory processes, and cellular energy metabolism. In summary, BP supplementation demonstrated a potential antiparasitic effect against H. contortus but did not significantly affect liver, metabolic, or hematological parameters. Metabolomic findings should be considered exploratory and hypothesis-generating.