Abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of drinking boron on liver tissue of Africa ostrich chicks,36 10-day-old Africa ostrich chicks were randomly divided into 6 groups with 6 replicates in each group. The same basic diet and different doses of drinking boron were fed,boron contents in drinking water in each group were 0,40,80,160,320,640 mg/L,respectively. Test period lasted for 80 d. After the test,weighed,carotid artery bleeding to death,removed the liver after death,liver indexes were calculated. Liver specimens were placed in 4% paraformaldehyde and then embedded in paraffin. The livers were sectioned,stained by HE,and then observed and photoed under microscope. The results confirmed that low doses of drinking boron (40,80 mg/L) were in favor of liver development,improved the organizational structure of the liver,increased the Kupffer cells in the liver sinusoid,enlarged hepatic sinusoid,the optimal dosage was 80 mg/L. High doses of drinking boron (160,320 and 640 mg/L) adversely affected the development of Africa ostrich chicks' livers and made liver tissue pathological changes obviously.

Key words: boron; Africa ostrich chick; liver; hepatic sinusoid