Effect of Dietary Supplementation of GABA and Nano GABA on the Gross morphology of Bursa of Fabricius in Post-hatch coloured Chicken

Abstract

The bursa of Fabricius is a primary lymphoid organ unique to birds and plays an important role in the development of B lymphocytes and humoral immunity. The present study was conducted to evaluate the gross morphology of the bursa of Fabricius in post-hatch coloured chicken and to determine the effect of dietary GABA and Nano GABA supplementation. Thirty healthy chicks were reared up to 60 days of age and divided into three groups: Group I (control), Group II (GABA at 5 mg/ml), and Group III (Nano GABA at 2 mg/ml) supplemented through drinking water. At the end of the experimental period, six birds from each group were sacrificed for detailed examination. In all groups, the bursa appeared as an oval to spherical blind sac with a yellowish-white to pale pink colour and contained 12–14 internal plicae. The mean bursal weight and length showed a numerical increase in the supplemented groups; however, these differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). In contrast, a significant increase (p < 0.05) in bursal width was observed in both GABA and Nano GABA treated groups compared to the control. The findings indicate that dietary GABA and Nano GABA supplementation may support bursal growth, particularly in terms of width, without affecting its normal anatomical features.