Influence of Parenteral Route on Oral Route of Local IBD Vaccine Administration in the Responses of Broiler Chicks

Abstract

Six groups (A-F) of ten broilers ten days of age were vaccinated at 7 and 14 days posthatching (PH) against infectious bursal diseases (IBD) with the local IBD vaccine (Vom, Nigeria). The vaccine was administered using parenteral routes with the oral route in different combinations. Seromonitoring was performed with the qualitative and quantitative agar-gel precipitation test (AGPT). The groups vaccinated via the parenteral routes either at 7 or 14 days PH had higher antibody titers than those vaccinated via the oral route both times. All the groups including the unvaccinated control were challenged 16 days postvaccination with a field strain. All the groups vaccinated via parenteral routes were completely protected against the field strain. The unvaccinated control group and the group that received oral vaccination alone had mortality rates of 30 and 10%, respectively. The gross and microscopic lesions were consistent with IBDV infection. It was concluded that the parenteral route of administration enhanced the antibody titer and protection when coupled with the oral route either at day 7 or 14.