Iraqi Journal of Veterinary Sciences

Abstract

The Current study was aimed to investigate the physiological changes that result from partial or total surgical extirpation of
uropygial gland in males quail, one hundred brown color male quails at age 14 days were used, Randomly and equally divided
into 4 groups (25 birds/ group) as follows, 1st group (control), 2nd group (sham operating make Surgical incision without
removal the gland), 3rd group (partial extirpation of right lobe for the gland at 21 days old), and 4th group (complete extirpation
of the gland at 21 days old). Blood samples were collected from birds after operation at 1st, 3rd, 5th weeks of gland extirpation
(at age 28, 42, 56 days respectively). Results indicated significant increase in live body weight at the 3rd, 5th weeks of complete
gland extirpated and 3rd week of partial gland extirpated birds, also a significant increase in blood constituents at first week of
partial and complete gland extirpation, then the values return to close control group at 3rd, 5th week of extirpation. The data
showed significantly decrease in concentrations of Glucose, Cholesterol, also activities of Aspartate aminotransferase (AST)and Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in 3rd, 5th week to partial and complete gland extirpated birds. Furthermore, significant
increase in serum total protein, left testis relative weight, serum testosterone concentration and foam gland size index at the 3rd,
5th weeks old of partial and complete gland extirpation, also showed significant improvement in right testis relative weight at
5th week of gland extirpation. The study was concluded that the nature of changes in studied traits due to partial and complete
extirpation uropygial gland made of their amelioration due to paradox their nature of response to stress, complete extirpation
has a positive effect better than partial extirpation of gland.