Live freeze dried virus for the active immunisation of chickens against Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro disease).
Active Ingredients | |
---|---|
Gumboro disease virus (strain D78) 104.0 log10TCID50 | ✓ |
Parasites, Vectors & Organisms Controlled | |
Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD/Gumboro) | ✓ |
For the active immunisation of chickens against Infectious Bursal Disease (Gumboro disease).
1.Do not use in unhealthy birds. Sick or weak birds will not develop adequate immunity following vaccination.
2.The properties of D78 are such that the vaccine virus will spread to in-contact birds and vaccine virus may increase in virulence on bird to bird passage. Care should be taken to ensure that the vaccine virus does not spread to unvaccinated birds.
3.Complete lack of immunosuppression has not been demonstrated. No information is available on the safety and efficacy from the concurrent use of this vaccine with any other. It is therefore recommended that no other vaccines should be administered within 14 days before or after vaccination with the product.
Application Rate
For oral administration.
Dose rates/directions for use:
Reconstitution of vaccine:
The vaccine is presented in vials under vacuum. Measure the correct volume of water for the number of birds to be vaccinated (see below) and open the correct number of vials of vaccine under the surface of the water. All containers used should be clean and free from any traces of detergent or disinfectant. Mix thoroughly with a clean stirrer, ensuring that all vials used are emptied. Offer to birds immediately.
Use clean cold water, in which chlorine or metals can neither be tasted nor smelt. Where water sanitisers are used consult Intervet technical staff. Chlorine at levels as low as 1 ppm is known to have a detrimental effect on vaccine virus stability, therefore the use of liquid skimmed milk is recommended to prolong the life of the virus. This may be added to the water at the rate of 500 ml (approximately 1 pint) per 10 litres of water. After mixing well, the solution should be allowed to stand for 15-30 minutes before adding the vaccine. Only skimmed milk should be used, as the fat in whole milk may block the automatic drinking systems as well as reduce vaccine virus efficacy.
Volumes of water for reconstitution of vaccine
The volume of water for reconstitution depends on the age of the birds and the management practice.
Simple drinking troughs and fountains
The following are guidelines:
1000 doses per litre per age in days up to a volume of 20 litres per 1000 doses.
For heavy breeds, or in hot weather, the quantity of water may be increased up to 30 litres per 1000 doses. Where the number of birds is between the standard dosages, the next higher dosage should be used.
Nipple Drinkers
Drinker line management is known to have a significant effect on the viability of live vaccine virus. The vaccine virus can deteriorate very rapidly and it is essential to ensure that all birds received the correct dose. Special care should be observed concerning the method of administration. For example, small header tanks may require recharging with medicated water several times during a 1-2 hour period.
Administration
Water should be withheld before vaccination. For recommendations see below under Management. Ensure that all medicated water is consumed within 1-2 hours. Turn on mains water when all the vaccine water has been consumed. Always make sure that there is food available when vaccinating. Birds will not drink if they have no food to eat.
Vaccination programmes
It is only necessary to apply the vaccine once to susceptible birds and this should be done as early as possible. In the field, maternal antibodies will exist in the majority of chicks, therefore, vaccination before 17 days for broiler-type birds and 21 days for replacement layers is not normally recommended where parent birds have been injected with an inactivated Gumboro vaccine.
Suggested vaccination programmes
This programme is intended only as a guide; local conditions must be allowed for and the advice of a veterinary surgeon should be sought.
Broilers Rearing pullets and breeding stock
17 days old* 21 days old
21-24 days old 28-30 days old
28-30 days old
* At the discretion of the veterinary surgeon this may be reduced to 14 days if MDA is known to be present at only very low levels.
Management
Great care should be taken to ensure that all birds receive a full dose of vaccine when the product is administered. When used in chickens where maternal antibody still exists, the way in which this vaccine is administered is critical. The following points have been found to improve vaccine `take`:
1. Water withholding should be kept to a minimum, especially in broiler birds. Approximately half an hour is all that is required if the following management techniques are used.
2. Try to vaccinate at a time when birds are likely to be drinking, e.g. morning time for broilers, when food is in the food tracks.
3. Turn the lights down low when the water is turned off. For bell drinkers, go round the house emptying and cleaning the drinkers during the half-hour lights low period. Mix up the vaccine according to the recommendations, and towards the end of the half-hour water withholding period, go round all the drinkers filling each with water containing vaccine. Leave the house and turn the light up. The increased light intensity will stimulate the birds to look for water and food. Therefore, it is important that food is available or the birds will not be interested in drinking. In some cases, it helps to run food tracks at the time the light intensity is increased.
4. For nipple lines a substantial volume of residual water may remain in the lines after the half-hour water withholding/dark period. It is advisable to drain the lines and prime with vaccine loaded water before allowing the birds to have access to the drinker lines. Mix up the vaccine and apply to the header tank(s). Calculate the volume of water that is left in the tank below the outlet valve and make sure you add extra vaccine to this volume of water. For example, if 10 litres remain below the outlet pipe and you are using 10 litres/1000 birds to vaccinate, add one extra vial of vaccine when mixing up vaccine for that tank. The use of this extra vaccine is important.
5. Once the vaccine has been consumed, resume management practices as normal. This approach to vaccination will ensure a more even vaccination of the crop and will be less stressful to the birds. Performance should therefore be less adversely affected.