Russian State Agrarian University Moscow Agricultural Academy named

Russian State Agrarian University Moscow Agricultural Academy named after K. A. Timiryazev by N. Titova a first -year master degree student Faculty of Animal Science English supervisor: associate pr. T. Fomina Scientific supervisors – pr. L. Malovichko, associate pr. A. Semak Moscow 2014 1

The aim: to compare morphometric and histological parameters of glandular stomach and duodenum of model omnivorous bird species. The tasks: - to study summer ration of Jay (Garrulus glandarius) and Magpie Ordinary (Pica pica) ( family Corvidae); - to define morphological features of jay’s and magpie’s gastrointestinal tracts; - to investigate and compare histological glandular stomach and duodenum structure of the given bird species. 2

Place of study Jay (Garrulus glandarius) Magpie Ordinary (Pica pica) 3

The research scheme Object of research Magpie ordinary (Pica pica) Jay ordinary (Garrulus glandarius) 7 birds 11 birds Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 3 bird-watching morphometry of gastrointestinal tract preparation of histological sections catching birds analysis of gastrointestinal chyme analysis of gastrointestinal tract histological structure morphometric measurements of birds quantitative and qualitative composition of feed ration biometric data processing 4

Summer feed composition of birds Magpie Jay 5

Morphometric characteristics of glandular stomach Relative weight of the glandular stomach (%) 0. 7 Absolute weight of glandular stomach (grams) 0. 5 0. 31 Magpies 0. 28 Jays 6

Histological structure of glandular stomach Magpie (*48) muscular coat (MIC) submucosa (MIC) mucous membrane (MIC) 363 3 1 863. 25 2 Jay (*48) 1 445. 9 573. 37 989. 2 321. 8 2 Magpies Jays 1 - mucous membrane 2 - digestive glands of the submucosa 3 - muscular coat 3 7

Morphometric characteristics of duodenum The relative length of the duodenum (%) Absolute length of the duodenum (mm) 94 54. 3 34 17. 5 Magpies Jays 8

Histological structure of the duodenum Magpie (*56) muscular layer (MIC) muscular plate (MIC) cryptas (MIC) villi (MIC) 3 1 780. 27 2 537. 8 Jay (*56) 211. 2 29. 3 53. 7 Magpies 1 2 3 161. 9 9. 62 116. 58 Jays 1 - layer of fibers 2 - layer of digestive glands (crypts) 3 - muscular coat 9

Conclusions 1) Differences in summer food composition of magpies and jays in the Stavropol region were analyzed. The main feed components for magpies are invertebrates (67%), while for jays - vertebrates (76%). 2) A connection between the histological structure of gastrointestinal tracts and basic birds’ feeds was determined. a) presence of a large number of insects in the magpie diet resulted in the development of muscle membranes in glandular stomach; b) development of muscle membranes in both magpies’ and jays’ glandular stomach and muscle plate was found; c) inverse relation between intestine villi length and thickness of the birds was defined. A short magpies bowel wall layer of fibers is 72% and Jays intestine length - 66%. 10

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