HISTOLOGICAL AND HISTOMETRIC FEATURES OF THE LARGE INTESTINE IN THE BRONZE TURKEY (MELEAGRIS GALLOPAVO)

The focus of the investigation was to study the large intestine (both ceca and rectum) of the bronze turkey using Hematoxylin/Eosin staining. Fifty-four clinically healthy Bronze Turkeys from state forestry Mazalat were separated into 27 female and 27 male birds. We used 9 age groups (one-day, 7-day, 14-day, 28-day, 35-day, 49-day, 56-day, 90-day, and 120-day). There were six turkeys in every group. The intestinal segments in all of the studied groups were composed of tunica mucosa, tela submucosa, tunica muscularis and tunica serosa. Tunica mucosa is comprised of lamina epithelialis mucosae covering a fine layer of loose connective tissue (lamina propria mucosae). Both tissue layers formed well expressed mucosal folds. The surface covering epithelium was presented by columnar cells and goblet cells. Tunica submucosa was less developed compared to the other layers of the wall. It was vascularized. Tunica muscularis had two sublayers – the inner was circular and the outer was longitudinal. Tunica serosa was the outermost layer supported by dense connective tissue. Villi intetsinales were well developed in both ceca and rectum.