Diseases of Poultry
By Ivan Dinev, DVM, PhD
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EFFECT OF STICKYWILLY (GALIUM APARINE) SEEDS ON HEALTHY STATUS AND PRODUCTION TRAITS IN BROILER CHICKENS
![Galium aparine, cleavers or stickywilly, is an annual weed in cereals and earthed-up crops, is an herbal plant belonging to the Galium genus (herbarium).](https://cdn.globalagmedia.com/poultry/legacy/publications/images/image_Page_096_Image_0001.jpg)
519.. Galium aparine, cleavers or stickywilly, is an annual weed in cereals and earthed-up crops, is an herbal plant belonging to the Galium genus (herbarium).
![The seeds (fruit) are dry, round or kidney-shaped, with smooth, corrugated or granular surface, sometimes covered with hooked prickles, brown or grey colour and are notched on one side . On the left - seeds with coat, on the right without coat.](https://cdn.globalagmedia.com/poultry/legacy/publications/images/image_Page_096_Image_0002.jpg)
520.The seeds (fruit) are dry, round or kidney-shaped, with smooth, corrugated or granular surface, sometimes covered with hooked prickles, brown or grey colour and are notched on one side („nuts"). On the left - seeds with coat, on the right without coat.
![In the gizzard of chickens, the seeds become white with a contrasting black-coloured unipolar groove, similar to an eye. Most probably, that is why they are called „snake eye](https://cdn.globalagmedia.com/poultry/legacy/publications/images/image_Page_096_Image_0004.jpg)
521.In the gizzard of chickens, the seeds become white with a contrasting black-coloured unipolar groove, similar to an eye. Most probably, that is why they are called „snake eye".
![. Purulent necrotic processes in the gizzard of a chicken. The health is influenced by consequences of mechanical obstruction because of seeds' accumulation in the gizzard. A direct toxic effect of Galium aparine is also supposed (primarily hepato- and nephrotoxic), due to release of toxic glycosides and other toxic substances from the seeds.](https://cdn.globalagmedia.com/poultry/legacy/publications/images/image_Page_096_Image_0005.jpg)
522.. Purulent necrotic processes in the gizzard of a chicken. The health is influenced by consequences of mechanical obstruction because of seeds' accumulation in the gizzard. A direct toxic effect of Galium aparine is also supposed (primarily hepato- and nephrotoxic), due to release of toxic glycosides and other toxic substances from the seeds.