The gut health of poultry is closely associated with feeds and feeding. The experiment was conducted to the effect of crude glycerol addition to diets of male broilers on the bacterial microflora and morphology of their small intestines (duodenum, jejunum and ileum). A total of 120 Ross 308 broiler chicks received diets containing 0% (GLY 0), 4% (GLY 4) or 8% (GLY 8) crude glycerol for 42 days. The presence of Coliform bacteria and Enterobacteria was reduced in the duodenal tract of the broilers of GLY 4 (P < 0.001); however, the presence of Staphylococci/Micrococci in the GLY 8 was reduced relative to the other groups (P < 0.001). The presence of Salmonella spp. decreased in conjunction with the increasing quantities of glycerol (P < 0.001). Analysis of the data regarding gut morphology (epithelial cell thickness, villi length and width, and crypt length and width) indicated that the glycerol levels fed to the different groups of broilers represented statistically different results in the small intestine. In general, whereas the diet with 4% glycerol statistically affected the investigated parameters of the gut, the diet with 8% glycerol statistically affected some segments of the broiler intestines.Keywords: glycerol, broilers, bacterial microflora, villi, crypt ImplicationsAlthough glycerol can be an attractive alternative energy source for animal feed, it has its own limitations in terms of lower energy content than oils, impurities and possible effects on the metabolic activity of the animals. There are still a number of unanswered questions about glycerol. One of the questions is what is the effect of glycerol on gut health? We wanted to investigate the potential physiological effects of glycerol on the intestine of broilers. This research was aimed at determining the effects of crude glycerol levels on the bacterial microflora and morphology of the small intestines in male broilers.

Summary In the present study, the effect of varied gossypol (GOSS) amounts was investigated on blood parameters, the digesta pH, villus height, villus width, and crypta depth, width of duodenum, jejunum and ileum. A total of one hundred eight Ross 308 male broilers were fed with four diet groups as follows: no gossypol (control), gossypol rate 62 mg/kg (GOSS 62), gossypol rate 124 mg/kg (GOSS 124) and gossypol rate 186 mg/kg (GOSS 186). The effect of used gossypol amounts on blood parameters was not found to be statistically significant. Increases in digesta pH values of jejunum and ileum with GOSS 186 diet group were found to be statistically significant. The results also indicated that, except duodenum villus height, there was no statistical difference effect of GOSS on epithelial cell thickness, villus height, villus width, crypta depth and crypta width of the duodenum, jejunum and ileum. There have been no clearly negative effects of higher gossypol amounts up to 186 mg/kg diets on these parameters.

Order Chiroptera is the second largest mammal group after rodents. An understanding of the development of the bats, which is a very special mammal group in terms of their lifestyles, morphology and their ability to fly, is very important because most of the adult anatomical differences characterizing species occur during organogenesis. In this study, developmental stages were determined for Myotis myotis species based on external morphological characteristics from embryos obtained from wild-caught pregnant females. The developmental stages of M. myotis were comparable with those of other bat species.

The aim of this study was to examine the histomorphometric and histochemical structure of oesophagus of the wild‐caught greater mouse‐eared bat M. myotis. For this purpose, 10 specimens of oesophagus were collected and processed. The oesophagus wall of M. myotis is composed of four layers: tunica mucosa, tunica submucosa, tunica muscularis and tunica adventitia. The mucosa is covered by a non‐keratinized stratified squamous epithelium. There were no glands in the wall of the oesophagus. Tunica muscularis is composed of two muscle layers: internal circular muscular layer and an external longitudinal muscular layer. Histochemical studies revealed that the oesophagus was AB/PAS and PAS positive indicating the presence of acidic and neutral mucosubstances. AB‐PAS staining shows that glycoproteins were predominant in the all examined layers of the oesophagus. Because of the absence of oesophageal glands in M. myotis, positive reaction with AB‐PAS staining may be due to secretion of salivary glands. Absence of oesophageal glands reflects the functional adaptation as high food passage rate for the insectivorous feeding habits of animals.

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