Evaluation of the effect of wheat germ meal on the development of laboratory mice

Abstract

Nowadays, dietary supplements are increasingly used in livestock feeding, which are a valuable source of biologically active substances necessary for their full growth and development, maintaining the body’s resistance and preventing numerous diseases. The most common components are proteins, vitamins and carotenoids. Thus, the relevance of scientific research is to experimentally determine the effectiveness of the newly developed product with a multicomponent composition on the functional state of the animal body. The purpose of the research was to determine the effect of the new product, the dietary supplement “Wheat germ meal” on the behaviour, growth rate, and morphological and biochemical parameters of the blood of white mice. The material of the study was nonlinear white mice in the amount of 60 heads. The supplement was fed to mice for 60 days. A set of methods was used, including: an assessment of the microclimate of the laboratory animal housing, the condition of tap water for drinking mice, an assessment of their general behaviour, and a determination of haematological parameters. It was proved that during the experiment, the microclimate of the room in which the laboratory animals were kept and the indicators of tap water for their drinking corresponded to the requirements of current regulations. It is substantiated that the examined additive increases the body weight of white mice and their average daily weight gain. Therewith, the weight of the internal organs of the experimental group (thymus, thyroid gland, kidneys, liver, lacrimal gland) remained unchanged. It has been established that the component composition of the supplement affects the morphological parameters of the blood of white mice, namely, it increases the haemoglobin content, the number of red blood cells and the value of haematocrit. No changes were observed in the blood leukogram of mice. An increase in the content of total protein and globulins in the blood serum of white mice was established. A decrease in the albumin content and an increase in the activity of the enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase occurred within the reference values for white mice. The materials of the research are of practical value for the possibility of using the examined dietary supplement in domestic animals to increase muscle strength, improve growth and development, and strengthen the immune system