Emily Carter
Chicken farms require a range of vaccinations to protect their birds from diseases. Vaccines are designed to mimic natural infections, allowing chickens to build immunity without harm. Common diseases vaccinated against include Marek's disease, fowl pox, infectious laryngotracheitis, and Newcastle disease. Vaccination methods vary and include injections, eye drops, and mixing vaccines with drinking water. Timing of vaccinations is critical, and some vaccines require annual boosters. While vaccines are important, biosecurity measures are also necessary to prevent outbreaks. Chicken farms should consider local conditions, disease status, and practicality when deciding on a vaccination program.
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What You'll Learn
Marek's disease
The disease is spread through bird-to-bird contact, and by contact with contaminated soil, clothes, shoes, equipment, and dander. Infected birds shed the virus and will continue to spread the disease as long as they are alive. The virus can survive for months in poultry house dust and litter, and it is easily transmitted through contaminated shoes, clothing, and equipment.
The clinical signs of Marek's disease vary depending on which tissues are affected. The classic form of the disease causes inflammation and tumors in the nerves, spinal column, and brain. Birds may become paralyzed in the legs or wings, and may develop head tremors. Other signs include swollen feather follicles that form crusty scabs, and unilateral paralysis, causing the bird to sit in a splay-legged position.
Vaccination is key to preventing Marek's disease. It is recommended that all birds be vaccinated at one day old, or that pre-vaccinated birds be purchased from hatcheries. The Marek's disease vaccine is given by injection under the skin on the back of the neck. It is important to note that the vaccine must be carefully mixed and administered in a sanitary manner to avoid bacterial infections in the flock.
Good sanitation and biosecurity practices are also crucial in preventing the spread of Marek's disease. This includes quarantining any suspected cases, observing the flock for signs of the disease, and practicing good hygiene when tending to affected birds.
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Fowl pox
The vaccination procedure for fowl pox typically involves the wing web stick method, which is suitable for chickens and pigeons but not turkeys. An applicator with two slotted needles is dipped into the vaccine and then thrust through the wing web. It is important to avoid hitting large blood vessels, bones, and wing muscles during the injection. The vaccine must be administered to healthy chickens, and all chickens on the farm should be vaccinated simultaneously. It is crucial to follow the timing guidelines for vaccination, avoiding administration within 21 days of slaughter or before the start of lay.
The PP-VAC™ vaccine, for example, is designed for chickens between 6 and 18 weeks old. It is a live virus vaccine derived from a mild strain of pigeon pox virus, proven to protect against fowl pox. This vaccine must be used within one hour of mixing and stored at a temperature between 2° and 8°C. Additionally, it is important to keep detailed records of the vaccination process, including the vaccine's serial number, expiration date, and any observed reactions in the chickens.
The decision to vaccinate against fowl pox depends on various factors, such as the local conditions, disease prevalence in the area, and individual preferences. It is recommended to consult resources like the Cobb-Vantress Vaccination Procedure Guide and the University of Florida's publication on Investigating Vaccination Failure in Poultry Flocks for more comprehensive information on vaccination programs. Furthermore, it is essential to consider the cost and feasibility of vaccinating smaller flocks, as commercial vaccines are typically produced in large dose vials for commercial operations.
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Infectious laryngotracheitis
ILT is present worldwide in areas with dense poultry production. Chickens are the natural hosts for the virus, and it is transmitted through contaminated equipment, premises, or carrier birds. Vaccination can prevent infection, and several types of vaccines are available, including chick embryo origin (CEO), tissue culture origin (TCO), and pox-vectored. The CEO vaccine is quite effective, but it may become more pathogenic in unvaccinated birds housed near vaccinated flocks. Live vaccines are also available, but they are not recommended for use in areas without a history of the disease.
ILT lesions vary depending on the virulence of the virus. In mild forms, the viral infection induces the production of serous or mucoid exudates, mucosal edema, and congestion. Infections involving highly pathogenic strains exhibit haemorrhage of the mucosal surfaces of the trachea. Tracheal mucus often contains blood and necrotic epithelial cells, which can harden to form plugs that lead to suffocation.
Diagnosis of ILT can be confirmed through the detection of viral DNA using virus-specific PCR assays and sequencing of the PCR products. Field isolates and vaccine strains can be differentiated through PCR amplification and sequencing of ILTV genome areas. Genotyping can reveal the origin of the ILTV strain, whether from previous live vaccines or outbreak strains, or if it is a new field strain.
ILT has significant impacts on poultry health and welfare, with high morbidity and mortality rates. Infections result in decreased egg production and mortality, which vary depending on the pathogenicity of the strain. While uncomplicated infections generally resolve within two weeks, co-infections with other respiratory pathogens can prolong the course of the disease.
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Newcastle disease
The disease was first identified in Java, Indonesia, in 1926, and later in Newcastle upon Tyne, England, in 1927. It may have been prevalent as early as 1898 when a disease wiped out all the domestic fowl in northwest Scotland. Newcastle disease is transmitted through infected birds' droppings and secretions from the nose, mouth, and eyes. It spreads rapidly, especially among commercially raised chickens kept in confinement. High concentrations of the NDV are found in birds' bodily discharges, allowing the disease to be easily transmitted through mechanical means such as contaminated shoes and clothing. The virus can survive for several weeks in warm and humid environments on feathers, manure, and other materials, and indefinitely in frozen material. However, NDV is rapidly destroyed by dehydration and ultraviolet rays from sunlight.
The signs and symptoms of Newcastle disease vary depending on the strain of the virus. Velogenic strains are highly virulent, causing severe nervous and respiratory signs, rapid spread, and up to 90% mortality. Mesogenic strains, with intermediate virulence, result in coughing, reduced egg quality and production, and up to 10% mortality. Lentogenic strains are nonvirulent, producing mild signs and negligible mortality. In chickens, velogenic viscerotropic Newcastle disease can cause congestion and haemorrhage of the trachea and lungs, as well as egg yolk peritonitis with atrophied follicles in laying birds. Lesions caused by lentogenic strains may be limited to congestion and mucoid exudates in the respiratory tract, with opacity and thickening of the air sacs. Secondary bacterial infections can increase the severity of respiratory lesions.
Infection with Newcastle disease in chickens may lead to neurologic clinical signs, but it is often inapparent. Mortality rates can reach 40% in pigeons, and infection in cormorants and exotic birds is characterised by an inability to fly and leg and wing paralysis. While the disease can infect humans, most cases are asymptomatic, and symptomatic cases are rare. Mild fever, influenza-like symptoms, and/or conjunctivitis may occur in rare instances.
There is currently no treatment for Newcastle disease. However, prophylactic vaccines and sanitary measures can reduce the likelihood of outbreaks. The B-1 vaccine can be administered to chickens via drinking water, intraocular, or intranasal routes, followed by the more reactive LaSota Newcastle disease vaccine four weeks later.
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Infectious bronchitis
Vaccination is the leading control method against infectious bronchitis. Live, attenuated, and killed (inactivated) vaccines are available. The most commonly used live IBV vaccines contain derivatives of the Massachusetts-type strains M41, H120, and H52. The ability of the IBV to quickly mutate requires constant surveillance to identify the specific types circulating in a given region. Different antigenic types do not cross-protect, so it is important to choose vaccines specific to a particular geographical region.
The route of administration, vaccine strain, and bird age can influence the effectiveness of IBV vaccinations. Typically, layer chickens receive IBV vaccinations by spray in the hatchery on the day of hatching, followed by live vaccine boosters via drinking water.
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Frequently asked questions
Chickens can be vaccinated against Marek's Disease, Fowl Pox, Infectious Laryngotracheitis, Newcastle disease, Infectious bronchitis, and Infectious bursal disease.
There are several ways to vaccinate chickens, including spraying vaccines or mixing them in drinking water, injecting the vaccine subcutaneously, administering eye drops, or injecting the vaccine into the chicken's wing using a wing web applicator.
Different vaccines need to be given at different times in a chicken's life. It is recommended to vaccinate chicks between 14 and 21 days old for Marek's Disease and Infectious bursal disease. For Fowl Pox, chickens can be vaccinated at 1 day old or at 10-12 weeks old. For Newcastle disease, the vaccine can be administered between 14 and 21 days of age and then again at 4 weeks old.
Hatcheries and poultry suppliers are usually the best sources of vaccines. You can also consult a veterinarian to discuss the best methods and sources for vaccinating your chickens.
