ACCUMULATION OF IRON AND NICKEL IN TESTES AND EPIDIDYMIS OF BROILER RABBITS AFTER NICKEL PERORAL ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

This study reports the effect of dietary nickel (Ni) on the accumulation of Ni and iron (Fe) in testes and epididymis of rabbits. Broiler rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) of experimental groups were fed a granular mixture with addition of various concentrations of Ni (E1 – 17.5 g NiCl2 per 100 kg of feed mixture, group E2 - 35.0 g NiCl2 per 100 kg of feed mixture). Group of rabbits withou Ni addition served as control (C). After the 90-days experimental period biological material (testes and epididymis) was taken from the animals. The samples were analyzed for concentration of Ni and Fe using the atomic absorption spectrophotometry (AAS) method. The concentrations of Fe and Ni in testes and epididymis in groups with dietary Ni supplement were not influenced and differences among the groups remained insignificant (P>0.05).