THE AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ON HEAT STRESS IN MALE RABBITS

doi:10.21608/aunj.2019.221123

THE AMELIORATIVE EFFECTS OF VIRGIN OLIVE OIL ON HEAT STRESS IN MALE RABBITS

Document Type : Novel Research Articles

10.21608/aunj.2019.221123

Abstract

Heat stress (HS) due to climate change is a problem of great concern to rabbits as they very susceptible to heat which negatively affecting their physiological status. Recently usage of natural safe dietary additives was used to alleviate the effects of HS during summer seasons. The current study aimed to investigate the impacts of chronic cyclic HS on the hematological parameter, hormonal levels and testicular histopathological changes of rabbits and the possible ameliorative effects of virgin olive oil (VOO) supplementation. 25 mature male NZW were divided into three groups: control group, HS-group that was exposed to chronic HS for 2 hrs daily, and HS+VOO that was also subjected to HS and supplemented with VOO. The THI values were 31, 32 and 34 for the 10, 20 and 30-day periods of HS application. WBCs, lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils and eosinophils counts were significantly lowest in the HS-bucks compared with control. However, VOO-supplemented group showed significant enhancement in lymphocytes and monocytes compared with the HS-group. No significant differences were observed in erythrograms and platelets count among the three studied groups. The HS-bucks recorded the least mean values for both serum LH and T. whereas, VOO-supplemented bucks showed the highest mean value for both parameters, even higher than control. Applied HS has elicited impairment of spermatogenic cycle, however, testicular tissues from VOO-supplemented were still keeping their tissue architecture and seminiferous tubules were well-populated with few damaged cells. In conclusion, HS induced hematological, hormonal and histopathological changes in tests of male rabbit and supplementation with VOO may ameliorate these changes.

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