The present study aimed to estimate the effect of Mentha piperita essential oil on biochemical and haematological parameters of sheep.A total number of 16 rams (3-4 years old) were randomly distributed into four treatments based on the essential oil dose: control (T1), 10 (T2), 20 (T3) and 30 ml/kg (T4) dry matter.The serum biochemical and plasma haematological parameters measured in the study included blood urea nitrogen (BUN), glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, total protein (TP), albumin, globulin, white blood cell count (WBC) and red blood cell count (RBC).The results indicated that glucose concentration increased significantly (P<0.05) in T4 compared to the control.No significant difference was found in cholesterol, triglyceride, BUN, total protein, albumin and globulin between the control and treated groups.In addition, WBC was significantly (P<0.05)high in T3 compared to the control.We concluded that alfalfa and barley silage treated with Mentha piperita essential oil improved glucose and WBC count in rams.
Oxidative damage is implicated in the pathogenesis of various tissue injuries.In the present study, the ability of pycnogenol (PYC) as a potent antioxidant to protect potato chips-induced oxidative stress in both liver and brain of young weaned albino rats was examined.Four experimental groups of six rats were constructed: control untreated group; group treated orally 50 mg/kg/day PYC; group fed on potato chips; and the group fed on potato chips and treated orally with the same dose of PYC.After 30 days of treatment, markers of oxidative stress were assessed by measurement of both malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione (GSH) contents and activities of glutathiones-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in both liver and brain tissue homogenates.Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) was also determined.Feeding rats on potato chips produced a significant increase in MDA concentration, marked decrease in GSH content and GST activity in both liver and brain.However, activities of CAT and SOD were significantly declined in the liver only.Significant decrease in serum TAC of animals fed on potato chips was observed.Administration of PYC to rats fed on potato chips blocked oxidative stress.In the liver, PYC prevented an increase in MDA, and decrease in GSH and GST but, it partially improved the hepatic activity of CAT and SOD.The results indicate that PYC has a protective effect against potato chips-induced toxicity in rats.
The aim of this study was to find the effect of different water temperatures on haematological parameters of common carp (Cyprinus carpio).A total 16 common carp having mean weight 210.2±15gm and length 22±1cm were exposed to three different temperatures (15, 25, 32 and 38°C) for 12 days.The results indicated that red blood cells (RBC), haemoglobin (Hb) and mean corpuscular heamoglobin (MCH) concentration increased significantly (P<0.05) at 38°C.A significant drop in white blood count (WBC) and lymphocyte was observed at 15°C.From the result of the present study, we concluded that at higher temperature (38°C), there is an increased in RBC and Hb concentration and a drop in WBC and lymphocyte count at lower temperature (15 °C).
In situ degradability and gas production (GP) parameters of sweet sorghum and sweet sorghum bagasse silages compared with maize silage were determined in mini silos in order to compare the nutritional value of ensiled sweet sorghum and its bagasse with maize silage.Experimental treatments were 1) maize silages (MS) as control, 2) sweet sorghum silage (SS) and 3) sweet sorghum bagasse silage (BS) both supplemented with urea or molasses (10 and 50 g/kg dry matter (DM) basis, respectively).Triplicate silage samples were prepared for each treatment in laboratory silos for 90 days.The in situ degradability of DM and crude protein (CP) of fresh and 90-d ensiled forages were measured using three none lactating dairy cows fitted with rumen cannulae over 96 h.In vitro gas production was measured for 96 h and organic matter digestibility (OMD), metabolisable energy (ME) and net energy for lactation (NE l ) were estimated based on gas production parameters.Fresh sorghum and its bagasse had lower (P<0.01)ME, NEl and OMD than fresh maize.Fresh sorghum and bagasse had greater (P<0.05)immediately soluble fraction (a) of DM than fresh maize but for slowly degradable fraction (b) of DM opposite trend (P<0.01) was observed.The a fraction of CP in situ degradability of maize plant was greater than fresh sorghum and bagasse (P<0.01).Adding urea plus molasses increased (P<0.05) in situ a fraction of DM and CP and effective rumen degradability of DM and CP (P<0.01) in addition to ME and in vitro OMD for SS and BS which were rather comparable with MS.It seems that combination of urea and molasses as silage additives improves the nutritional quality of sweet sorghum and bagasse silages.
Aspartame is an artificial sweetener and flavour enhancer in low-calorie, with sweetness about 200 times higher than sugar.The present study aims to declare the effect of aspartame on the histological and immunohistochemical structures of the skin in Wistar albino rat neonates.Twelve pregnant female Wistar-albino rats were separated into two groups, a control and an experimental group (n = 6).The first group was orally administered a daily dose of saline solution (0.5ml) free from the 4 th day of pregnancy till birth.The second group was orally administered 40mg aspartame/kg body weight for the same period.Samples from the dorsal abdominal skin of one dayold neonatal rats were fixed in 10% buffered neutral formalin and prepared routinely for histopathological and immunohistochemical investigations.Other samples were taken immediately, frozen and prepared for flow cytometric investigation of annexin V. Compared with the control group, the skin of aspartame treated neonatal rats showed a significant decrease (P<0.05) in the epidermal and dermal thickness as well as hair follicle depth.The epidermis appeared foliated with obvious hypertrophied cells; other dispersed cells had pyknotic nuclei and vacuolated cytoplasm.The dermis showed less condensed connective tissue, degenerated sebaceous glands and scarcely irregular hair follicles.The immunohistochemical investigations of aspartame neonatal rats showed intense positive reactions for Caspse-3, P53 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) but a negative to weak reaction for Caspase-7 and CK17 antibodies.Furthermore, the flow cytometric analysis of the annexin V revealed a significant increase in the apoptotic area corresponding to upper right (UR) and lower right (LR) area.In conclusion, the consumption of aspartame by mother rats during gestation leads to remarkable histological lesions and increased risk of apoptosis in the skin of their neonatal pups.
Buffalo ovaries (n=610) were collected from the abattoir and the oocytes recovered were matured, fertilized and the resulting zygotes were cultured in vitro.In Experiment 1, the maturation and fertilization rates of O 1 -O 2 oocytes were higher than O 3 -O 5 oocytes.In Experiment 2, the two batches of TCM-199 medium used with different hormonal supplementation did not influence the maturation and fertilization of the oocytes at 70.7-86.7%and 59.4-66.0%respectively.In Experiment 3, bull variability was observed in terms of their capacity for fertilization.In Experiment 4, higher fertilization rate was observed in response to caffeine (3-10 mg/ml) compared to control.In Experiment 5, 1 × 10 6 sperm/ml concentration during fertilization had a lower penetration rate (43.0%) than 5, 10 × 10 6 sperm/ml concentration (68.4-71.0%).In Experiment 6, development to the blastocyst stage in TCM-199 or mSOF medium with or without cumulus cell monolayer had no significant difference (11.5-22.2%)with total cell count ranging from 84.6±11.2 to 91.4±12.2.Overall, the results showed the importance of cumulus cells in the acquisition of developmental competence of oocytes maturing in vitro and its subsequent fertilization.That, selection of appropriate bull, its optimum sperm concentration, the choice of capacitating agent and its concentration, the type of medium for culture of resulting zygotes is critical for successful application of in vitro maturation, fertilization and culturing for mass production of buffalo embryos.
The present study evaluated the effects of stocking density on growth performance, survival rate, and haematological parameters rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fingerlings.An experiment was conducted for 8 weeks with different stocking densities including T1: 10 kg/m 3 , T2: 15 kg/m 3 , T3: 25 kg/m 3 and T4: 35 kg/m 3 .After 8 weeks, the juveniles were randomly sampled and analyzed for growth indices including weight gain, survival, specific growth rate (SGR), feed conversion rate (FCR), and condition factor (CF) as well as haematological parameters including haemoglobin (Hb), haematocrit (Hct), mean crepuscular haematocrit (MCH), mean crepuscular haematocrit concentration (MCHC), and red blood cells (RBC).Treatments with higher density showed lower growth rates (SGR and weight gain) compared to those of lower densities.Highest survival rate was observed in T2 and the lowest in T4.Based on the results, the stocking density significantly affected Hct, Hb, and RBC (P<0.05), while MCH and MCHC were not significantly affected (P<0.05).The present study demonstrated that there is a significant negative effect of increasing rearing density on juvenile rainbow trout.Further, it is suggested 15 kg/m 3 as an appropriate stocking density for rainbow trout fingerlings.
The effects of green tea extract (GTE) on growth performance and immune response were investigated.In a completely randomized design, three hundred sixty Ross 308 strain broiler chicks was assigned to 6 treatments, 4 replicates and 15 chicks in each experimental unit.The experimental treatments were added to the basal (starter, grower and finisher) diets as follows: (1) basal diet,without additives and received only basal diets; (2) basal diets plus 20 IU/kg Vit.E; (3) basal diets plus 3ml/l drinking water GTE with 20 IU/kg Vit.E; (4) basal diets plus 3ml/l drinking GTE; (5) basal diets plus 5ml/l drinking water GTE and (6) basal diets plus 5ml/l drinking water GTE with 20 IU/kg Vit.E. The chicks were fed diet supplied with 3 ml/l GTE (treatment 4) significantly (P<0.05) had higher final body weight, daily weight gain, daily feed intake and better feed conversion ratio.Treatment 6 (5ml/l drinking water GTE with 20 IU/kg Vit.E), non-significantly had higher blood Newcastle antibody titer compared with other treatments.Treatment 5 and 6 had significantly (P<0.05)higher and treatment 4 had a lower Influenza antibody titer, respectively.Non-significantly higher antibody titer against SRBS was observed for treatment 2 (20 IU/kg Vat.E).Adding GTE was not able to improve total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and treatment 2 (20 IU/kg Vit.E) had significantly (P<0.05)higher serum TAC concentration compared with other treatments.The results indicated that the addition of 3 ml/l drinking water GTE had the most positive effects on growth performance traits and application of 5 ml/l GTE alone or in combination with 20 IU/kg diet Vit.E may have a complementary effect on the serum antibody titers against Influenza and had the potential in replacing antibiotics in broiler chicks.
