Effect of in-ovo injection of nanoparticles of grape seed extract on sex differentiation and gonadal structure in broiler chicks

Polyphenols content in the grape seed are considered as potent aromatase inhibitors. In this study, the grape seed extract was injected into the egg as an anti-aromatase and its effects on sex differentiation and gonadal structure in broiler chicks were investigated. A total of seven hundred eggs from Ross 308 were divided into 7 experiment groups.  Treatments including: injection of 3(GSE3) and 4(GSE4) milligrams of grape seed extract and zinc, 3 (NGSE3) and 4(NGSE4) milligrams of nanoparticle of grape seed extract and zinc, 0.05 mg tamoxifen and zinc (TOM+Zn), 0.5 ml normal saline (PC) and control with no injection (NC). Injection was performed on day 5 of incubation from the narrow side of egg. After hatch, chickens were reared for 5 weeks. Results showed that compared to controls, injection of grape seed extract caused significant increase in percentage of male chick(P<0.05). No significant differences were found in day old chick weights (P>0.05). Feed intake, body weight, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio appeared with no significant differences (P>0.05). The study of gonadal structure in chicks indicated a high degree of sexual reversal in chicken treated with 3(NGSE3) and 4(NGSE4) mg of nanoparticles of grape seed extract and zinc. Conclusion is that the grape seed extract has the potential to act as an anti-aromatase compound to produce higher percentage of male broiler chicks.