STUDIES ON A LONG-TERM USE OF RAPESEED PRODUCTS IN DIETS FOR BOARS - PATHOMORPHOLOGICAL CHANGES IN THE REPRODUCTIVE-SYSTEM, LIVER AND THYROID-GLAND

Three feeding groups were used: the control (SOY) was fed diets withou t rapeseed products, and the two experimental groups were fed with eit her 10% rapeseed meal (RSM) or with 12% OO rape seeds (PFRS). Half of the boars from each group were slaughtered after 1 or 2 years. In RSM and PFRS boars steroid-3-beta-ol-dehydrogenase activity was high, whil st Leydig cells were not numerous after 1 year. Degeneration and necro sis of seminiferous epithelium resulting in atrophy of appeared in RSM boars after 2 years. In the PFRS group the lesions were stronger and proliferation of Leydig cells with high steroid-3-beta-ol-dehydrogenas e activity was observed. In I-year-old RSM and PFRS boars there were f oci of necrosis in the epididymal epithelium. Thyroid weight in RSM bo ars and liver weight in PFRS boars were distinctly higher only during the first year. In these thyroid glands flattening of glandular epithe lium and enlargement of colloid masses were observed, while in the liv ers, parenchymatic degeneration and structural transformation appeared . Testis weight increased after 2 years in RSM and PFRS boars; however , this had little effect on semen production.