Abstract

This study was conducted to determine the pathological changes in testes and epididymides and plasma testosterone levels of adult roosters during experimentally induced aflatoxicosis. In the study, 24 months of age, 32Babcock breeder males were used, and they were divided into four groups each containing 8 animals. The groups were designed as follows; group 1: Control, no aflatoxin (), group 2: 5 ppm (parts per million) total aflatoxin (; B₁, B₂, G₁, G₂), group 3: 10 ppm and group 4: 20 ppm in the diet, and the birds were fed for 8 weeks. Grossly, it was seen that the testes of all -treatment groups birds were significantly (P<0·001) atrophied when compared with those of control birds. Histopathologically, there was no spermatogenesis in the testes of 4, 5 and 6 cocks fed on a diet containing 5, 10 and 20 ppm, respectively. Furthermore, abnormal spermatozoa were observed in some of -treatment groups (in 2 cases in each of 5 and 10 ppm -treated groups, and in one case in 20 ppm -treated group). There were also mononuclear cell infiltration and/or focal lymphoid cell accumulation in the intertubular areas of the testes and epididymides in all -treatment groups. In conclusion, it has been shown that might totally or partially (dose related) suppress spermatogenesis, cause abnormality in spermatozoa and atrophy in testes. Furthermore, there was degeneration and desquamation in the epithelium and decrease in the size and thickness of the germinative layer of the seminiferous tubules, and lowered plasma testosterone levels in adult roosters.

^f1 Corresponding author: Dr. Mustafa Ortatatli, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Selçuk, 42031, Kampüs, Konya, Turkey. E-mail: morta@selcuk.edu.tr and/ormortatatli66@hotmail.com