The effects of temperature (50, 60, 70, 80, 90 °C) and time (5, 10, 20, 40, 80 min) on catechins and caffeine solubility in water from Iranian green tea were investigated, The best combinations of temperature and time extraction with water were 20-40 min, 80 °C for epigallocatechin (EGC), epicatechin (EC) and caffeine (Caff), and 80 min, 90 °C for catechin (C), epicatechin gallate (ECG) and epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). A mathematical model derived from Fick's second law was then used to calculate the diffusivity of the components, and to monitor the effect of temperature on the diffusivities. The extraction of these components is governed by two diffusion processes: fast and slow. The results showed that the intra-particle diffusion was the rate-governing step of the extraction process. The slow stage diffusivities of these components at their optimum extraction temperatures were calculated as: 1.94e-9 (EGC), 8.1e-10 (EC), 3.9e-10 (Caff), 1.34e-8 (C), 4.2e-9 (ECG) and 4.63e-9 (EGCG).

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The rhizome of ginger is a fresh or dried organ of the plant Zingiber officinale, which has been used as a medicine since ancient times. The present study was conducted to examine the effects of ginger on testicular histomorphometry in roosters of broiler chicken flocks. Eighty single-day rooster of broiler chickens belonging to 308 Ross breed was used in the present study. The chickens were divided into two groups with 40 broiler roosters (experimental and control groups). Initially, the rhizome of ginger was powdered; 1 g/kg of ginger powder was added to the ration of the group treated with ginger from the beginning of the breeding season. The blood samples were taken from each chick at 20 weeks of age. The samples were stained with H&E. Data was expressed as mean ± SD. T-test was used to analyse and compare the difference between the control is also an experimental groups using SPSS 9.0 software. The testosterone level, weight of the testicle, thickness of seminal tube and number of spermatids in the experimental group compared to the control group increased significantly P<0.05. The most important difference between the control and the intervention group treated with ginger was the number and density of spermatids and spermatozoids cells in the lumen area of the seminal tubes. The present study obtained positive results for the efficacy of using ginger in roosters of broiler chick flocks.

Chronic respiratory disease (CRD) is one of the most important veterinary diseases inIran and all over the world. Mortality, reducing of weight gain and increasing of feed conversion ratio (FCR) are caused by CRD. Several drugs are used for prevention and control of CRD. CRD is caused by Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG). Tiamulin and pulmotil are effective on M. gallisepticum. By considering generating resistance against antibiotics that is effective on MG, studying the effect of these drugs in the treatment and prevention of CRD in birds were the purpose of this research. In this study, tow broiler flock (MG positive) and layer flock (MG free) with 15000 birds, divided in six similar groups (A, B, C (layer), D, E and F (broiler)) with 2500 bird in each group. 13 and 100 g tiamulin in 200 L of water was used in Groups A and D, respectively. 60 ml pulmotil in 200 L of water was used in Groups B and E at the same time. However, the birds in Groups C and F (control groups) did not get any antibiotic. Gross lesions and mortality of CRD, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of tiamulin, pulmotil and other common antibiotic dicks, hen-day percentage in layers and growth parameters in broilers of control and experimental groups were calculated. The basis of ANOVA analysis was that the use of antibiotics such as tiamulin and pulmotil significantly reduced mortality and gross lesions (P < 0.05). Also, it improved hen-day percentage in layers and growth parameters in broilers (P < 0.05). It can be concluded that usage of these antibiotics can be essential in the treatment and prevention of CRD in birds.

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