Comparative study on mineral status of lymphoid organs of broiler chicken in commonly encountered immunosuppressive disease outbreaks

The present study was conceded to evaluate the mineral concentration of lymphoid organs of broiler chicken in commonly encountered immunosuppressive diseases like an infectious bursal disease, Newcastle disease, colibacillosis, and concurrent infections of IBD-ND and IBD-coccidiosis. A total of 500 broiler chickens from each outbreak were examined, which included the diseased and dead broiler chicken. The birds examined belonged to different age groups and were assigned the group number as per age. The outbreaks which occurred in the age groups of 18, 21, 23, 25, and 27 were selected and a total of five outbreaks from every disease, for each age group were taken into consideration for the study. From each age group, for every disease, representative samples of lymphoid organs from 10 birds were collected for mineral estimation and compared with those of 10 normal birds of the same age group, having no observable gross lesions. The samples of bursa of Fabricius, thymus, spleen, and cecal tonsils were analyzed using atomic absorption spectrophotometer (Model 4141). A positive correlation was observed between the age group and concentration of minerals viz.: copper, zinc, and manganese in the lymphoid organs of normal broiler chicken. However, the diseased birds’ mean level of copper was found decreased and differs significantly (P < 0.05) from the uninfected corresponding controls. On the other hand, the levels of zinc and manganese in lymphoid organs of the affected birds were found increased and differ significantly (P < 0.05) from the uninfected controls.