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To assess the effect of ginger rhizomes essential oil on some reproductive parameters of laying birds, 80 female Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) aged 3 weeks and weighing between 120 -130 g were randomly assigned into 4 dietary treatment groups in a completely randomized design. From 3 till 13 weeks, birds in group 1 (control) received distilled water orally (100 µl/kg body weight), while the other three test groups during the same period, received respectively by gavage 50, 100 and 150 μl of ginger roots essential oil per kg body weight. At 11 weeks old, eight birds per group in each treatment were randomly selected and slaughtered, blood samples collected for analysis. On the other hand, the remaining females were maintained 3 with one untreated male in identical boxes per treatment, for fertility assessment, eggs characteristics and hatchability traits. Throughout the experiment, biochemical parameters, eggs characteristics, fertility and hatchability traits were analyzed. No significant change (p > 0.05) was observed during the experimental period for body and relative ovary weights. Contrary, the relative uterus weight significantly increased (p < 0.05) in dose-dependent manner. The level of serum total proteins, LH, FSH and estradiol significantly increased (p < 0.05) in a dose-dependent manner. Also, fertility, hatchability of fertile eggs, total hatchability and chick's weight significantly increased (p < 0.05) in birds received 100 and 150 µl/kg b.w compared to those of control group. On the other hand, embryonic mortality decreased significantly (p < 0.05) whatever the ginger rhizomes essential oil dose. It was concluded that ginger rhizomes essential oil enhances bird reproductive performances, proteins and reproductive hormone levels and hatchability traits in treated female quails.

The control of pesticide’s toxicological properties in the food chain could be a benefit to farmers by increasing animal productivity. The current study’s objective was to evaluate the protective effects of aqueous extract of Persea americana leaves (AEPAL) on secondary sexual traits and testis histology damages induced by Antouka Super® (AS) in male Japanese quail. Sixty male quails of 28 days old and weighing 106-119g were randomly distributed into 5 groups of 12 animals each and daily received for 60 consecutive days one of the treatments: group 1 and 2 received respectively 10 ml of distilled water and 75mg/kg of b.w of AS while groups 3, 4 and 5 in addition to 75mg/kg of b.w of AS, they received respectively 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg of b.w of AEPAL. The sexual behavior characteristics were evaluated during the trial period. At the end of the study, birds were humanly sacrificed, their blood collected for testosterone analysis and the testes removed for teste structure evaluation. Results revealed that exposure to AS significantly decreased testosterone level, time of shouting and appearance of foam, quantity of foam product, the volume and area of the cloacal gland, frequency of mount and frequency of successful mount, as well as degradation of the testes histology. The administration of AEPAL increased these parameters in a dose-dependent manner. Thus, these results demonstrate that AS had a toxic effect on secondary sexual traits and testis histology in male quail which could be alleviated by AEPAL administration at 200mg/kg of b.w.

No abstract