HISTOMORPHOLOGICAL STUDIES ON INTESTINAL LYMPHOID TISSUES IN KADAKNATH BREED OF POULTRY (Gallus gallus domesticus) Dr. Prashant Gedam 1 , Dr. Amol Salankar 2 , Dr. U.P. Mainde 3 , Dr. Naresh Nandeshwar 4 , Dr. Rasmita Panda 5 , Dr. T. Rama 6 , Dr. V. Ravikanth 7 , Dr. Sandip Shahapure 8 1,2,3,4 Nagpur Veterinary College, Maharashtra, Nagpur 5,6,7,8 College of Veterinary Science, Korutla E-mail: nvc1828@rediffmail.com Abstract: The samples were divided into three age group viz. GI (6 weeks), GII (12 weeks) and GIII (18 weeks). The duodenum and jejunum showed no much remarkable differences. The villi were long and slender in duodenum and jejunum. Their tips were more slender in ileum with thicker base. The diffuse lymphatic tissues was scattered in the lamina propria, submucosa in all parts of small intestine. At few places the solitary lymphatic nodules were observed. The amount of lymphatics was more in Gr. II (12 weeks). The caeco-colic junction showed the aggregation of lymphatic nodules which were predominant in 12 week old birds. These were referred as the caecal tonsils which correspond to mammalian Peyer’s patches. These nodules were covered with epithelium, forming dome and were devoid of goblet cells. The colon showed the diffuse lymphatic tissue in all the three age groups of the present study, but major infiltrations occurred in G.II and Gr. III. The goblet cells were numerous and intraepithelial lymphocytes were not recorded in colon. Keywords: Kadaknath, lymphoid tissue, ceacal tonsils, poultry, intestine. 1. Introduction Introduction: The Indian poultry industry has undergone a paradigm shift in structure and operation from merely a backyard venture into a major commercial and most progressive activity in a very short time. India is ranking currently fifth in the world as a broiler producer and fourth in the egg production. The annual egg production in India is recorded as 53,000 million and poultry meat as 3.2 million tones. (Saxena, 2009). Kadaknath breed of poultry is reared since long time by tribals of Bhil and Bhilala community of Jhabua and Dhar districts of Western Madhya Pradesh. The black coloration of the flesh is due to the deposition of melanin pigment in the connective tissue of organs and in the dermis (Rao and Thomas, 1984). The bird is resistant to extreme climate conditions and is well adapted to the local environment. This breed is resistance to the diseases as compared to the exotic breeds even in adverse conditions like poor housing and management. International Journal of Science, Environment ISSN 2278-3687 (O) and Technology, Vol. 6, No 3, 2017, 2124 – 2131 2277-663X (P) Received May 26, 2017 * Published June 2, 2017 * www.ijset.net