2018-09-102018-09-102007-06JORGE, Lorena Pereira Marum et al. Avaliação dos efeitos do tratamento com zinco orgânico sobre a reprodução e no comportamento de ratas (Rattus norvegicus). Arquivos de Ciências Veterinárias e Zoologia da Unipar, Umuarama, v. 10, n. 1, p. 15-20, jan./jun. 2007.1982-1131http://repositorio.bc.ufg.br/handle/ri/15887This article aims at evaluating the effects of the organic zinc treatment over the reproductive performance and behavior through forced swimming tests, open fi eld, and barbiturate-induced sleep. 21 female Wistar rats (Rattus norvegicus) were used, distributed into three groups of seven animals, placed in individual boxes, and submitted to different treatments: SZn (control - without zinc), ZnP (zinc for intramuscular administration), and ZnO (organic zinc in the diet, 5 mg/kg). Statistic differences were not observed (p > 0,05) among the treatments SZn (10.4 ± 2.4 nestlings), ZnP (6.9 ± 2.6 nestlings), and ZnO (3.3 ± 2.6 nestlings), in relation to the number of nestlings. In the behavioral despair test, the immobility time of the animals treated with SZn (91.1 ± 15 seg.), ZnP (71.2 ± 17 seg.), and ZnO (79.9 ± 20 seg) did not present any statistic differences (p > 0,05). Statistic differences (p > 0,05) were neither present at the induction time (SZn = 6.6 ± 2; ZnP = 5.3 ± 2; ZnO = 3.6 ± 0.3 min), nor in the recovery time (SZn = 295 ± 15; ZnP = 320 ± 34; ZnO = 355 ± 38 min) at the hypno-sedative evaluation. The other behavioral parameters evaluated (number of risings, self-cleaning, time in the periphery, and number of invaded squares) were not altered as well. It was concluded that zinc, in its organic form, either parenterally or orally administered, neither infl uences the reproduction nor the behavior of female rats.porAcesso AbertoZincoRatasComportamentoReprodução animalZincFemale ratsAnimals reproductionBehaviorArtigo10.25110/arqvet.v10i1.2007.567