Comparative age related histological observations on bursa of fabricius of Kadaknath and Narmada Nidhi birds

Poultry meat is one of the most important sources of protein for human consumption worldwide. Chicken and turkeys are considered as healthy sources of protein because they have relatively low levels of saturated fat compared with red meat. Kadaknath is a native breed, found in the tribal dominated Jhabua district of Madhya Pradesh, India. But its meat is priced three times more than that of broiler chicken. Narmada Nidhi is an improved location specific breed of chicken developed by the College of Veterinary Science and Animal Husbandry, Nanaji Deshmukh Veterinary Science University, Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, India. This breed is a dual purpose coloured one, which is good for tribal and rural areas of the country for poultry farming. Bursa of fabricius, in Kadaknath and Narmada Nidhi breeds of birds, were studied and compared histologically. It was found to have wall made of four layers, tunica serosa, tunica muscularis, viz. tunica submucosa and tunica mucosa from outside to inside. In both the breeds, internal surface of the wall was thrown into folds known as plicae, lined by pseudo stratified epithelium except at the crypts where columnar epithelium was seen. Four types of epithelium in follicles and two types of epithelium, (FAE and IFE), attached to plicae of bursa of both the breeds were identified. Septae thickness in bursa of fabricius of Narmada Nidhi was found to be more. Similarily, cortex was more densely packed in bursa of Narmada Nidhi.