This study was conducted to evaluate the e#ect of garlic (Allium sativum) meal on the intestinal mucosal morphology of broiler chickens between ,+ and ., days of age. A total of +2**, ,+ days old Ross-*2 broiler chicks were weighed and randomly allotted into *, *.+,/, *.,/, *./, + and ,ῌ dietary garlic meal groups of each +** birds. Experimental diets were formulated by addition of each level of garlic meal to commercial finisher mash diet (CP : ,*../ῌ, ME :-,+-* kcal/kg), and fed ad libitum for ,+ d. At day .,, +/ chicks from each treatment were randomly killed to obtain intestinal samples. Villus height, epithelial thickness, goblet cell numbers, crypt depth and the ratio of crypt depth to villus height in each intestinal segment were compared using a light microscope. Garlic meal as a feed additive significantly enhanced villus height and crypt depth and decreased epithelial thickness and goblet cell numbers in duodenum, jejunum and ileum of birds. Fundamentally, jejunum and ileum revealed an almost similar morphological alteration to that in the duodenum except that dietary garlic meal supplement resulted in an increase in the ratio of crypt depth to villus height in duodenum but a decrease in jejunum and ileum. In present study, small intestinal morphological changes in chickens due to dietary garlic meal supplement demonstrate that absorptive process could be activated by garlic meal as an antibiotics alternative growth promoter.

1. Reducing excess fat accretion is important for both human health and animal production. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of arginine (Arg) on the regulation of lipogenic gene expression and on growth performance. 2. One-d-old female broiler chicks (Ross, n = 192) were used in a completely randomised design with 4 dietary treatments in which diets included 100% (CTL), 153% (LArg), 168% (MArg) and 183% (HArg) of the recommended concentration of digestible Arg. 3. Results showed that high concentrations of Arg improved body weight gain, feed efficiency, meat production, fat and crude protein content of breast muscle and plasma thyroid hormones. Conversely, abdominal fat, cholesterol, triglyceride and urea were lower with higher concentrations of Arg. Dietary arginine increased lipogenic gene expression in muscles, while decreasing those in adipose tissue and liver. 4. It was concluded that increasing Arg in the diet reduced abdominal fat content, enhanced intramuscular fat and increased muscle and protein gain. Furthermore, Arg supplementation at the MArg concentration improved growth performance, and at HArg had the greatest effect on fat reduction.

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Serum lipid and lipoprotein values in Turkman horses differ from those of other equine breeds, and may be useful for evaluating metabolic diseases in this species.

Objective: Negative effects of lead on the male reproductive system and sperm fertility parameters have been shown broadly. In recent years, use of medicinal herbs in reducing heavy metal toxicities has increased worldwide. One of these herbals, wheat sprout, contains high amount of vitamins (especially vitamin E), antioxidants and phytoestrogen compounds. This study investigated the effects of wheat sprout extract (WSE) and vitamin E on testicular oxidative stress in rats exposed to lead acetate.Methods: Thirty-five rats were divided randomly into seven groups: G1 (control group) received 1 ml/kg/day of normal saline, G2 received 20 mg/kg/day of lead acetate, G3 and G4 received 100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day of WSE respectively, G5 and G6 received 100 mg/kg/day and 200 mg/kg/day of WSE respectively with 20 mg/kg/day of lead acetate, and G7 received 100 mg/kg/day of vitamin E with 20 mg/kg/day of lead acetate. After 35 days, rats were sacrificed and blood, sperm, liver and testicle tissue samples were collected for histomorphological and histochemical studies.Results: Results showed that count, motility and viability of sperms decreased following the administration of lead acetate (P<0.01). Histomorphological studies showed a significant decrease in tubular differentiation index (TDI), spermiogenesis index (SI), repopulation index (RI), number of Leydig and Sertoli cells, and epithelium height and diameter of seminiferous tubules in groups receiving lead acetate (P<0.05). Conclusion:Summary, results of the current study show that dose dependent WSE significantly prevents testicular toxicity and oxidative stress effects of lead acetate.