In our last discussion we have discussed the different vaccines and their roles in the birds healthcare by preventing entry and spread of disease among the flock in the farm. https://poultrygist.com.ng/2024/09/poultry-vaccine/
Poultry vaccination is the process of administering vaccine to the birds in order to improve their immunity and prevent attack of disease(s) caused by pathogens such as viruses, bacteria and parasites.
Vaccination is an essential component of poultry health management aimed at preventing disease entry, transmission and outbreak among the birds ; so as to enhance the productivity of the flock.
Common poultry vaccines –
There are different types of poultry vaccine which include –
- Newcastle Disease Vaccine (NDV) – It could be administered orally, by injection or by eye/nasal drop.
- Marek’s Disease Vaccine – This is given to day-old chicks to prevent Marek’s disease which is a viral disease.
- Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) -This is given to the birds to prevent Gambaro disease.
- Fowl Pox Vaccine – The vaccine is to prevent the fowl pox disease among the flock
Vaccination Schedule –
This a timetable that outlines the specific time and intervals at which vaccines should be administered to the bids to protect them from diseases. It also shows details such as – type of vaccine, age of the birds, dosage and method of administering the vaccine. Ensuring your flock vaccinated alone is not enough – it also necessary that the procedure must be properly planned. Therefor, having a vaccination schedule becomes one of the essential records of a poultry farm,
These are some reason why vaccination schedule is a necessary document for your poultry farm-
- Helps you effectively plan your flock vaccination by giving details about when a previous vaccination was done and when the next vaccination is due.
- Provides valid record on the flock healthcare management for informed decision(s) – giving information about what vaccination the flock has already received and what vaccine the flock needs next.
- Provides record for trend analysis on your flock’s health which assist the poultry farm management to strategically prevent disease entry, spread and outbreak among the flock
Example of a poultry vaccination schedule –
| Bird age | Vaccine | Administration method |
| Day 1 | Marek’s disease vaccine | subcutaneous injection at the back of the neck |
| Day 7 – 14 | Newcastle disease vaccine | Orally by mixing with water |
| Day 14 | Infectious Bursal disease vaccine | Orally by mixing with water |
| Week 6 -8 | Booster for Newcastle disease (depending on the level of risk) | Orally by mixing with water |
Best poultry vaccination practices –
Following the best practices for the poultry vaccination assist to make the process effective and reduces the risk of adverse responses from the birds. The following practices are recommended for the poultry vaccination –
- Cold chain management -To keep the vaccine effective, storage and transportation of the vaccine must be done at a temperature level recommended by the manufacturer
- Protect vaccine from direct sunlight
- Use vaccine within the time frame recommended by the manufacturer after opening it or reconstitution
- Always follow the recommended dosage for each vaccine type and age group
- Ensure proper cleanliness during vaccination and use sterilized needles
- Vaccinate only the healthy birds, vaccination during illness may result to poor immune response
- Engage trained and skilled personnel for poultry vaccination
- Proper record keeping to help track history of the birds and their vaccination
- Monitor the effectiveness of the vaccination and the response of the birds
Poultry vaccination with the best practices significantly reduces the risk of disease among the birds, improve the health status of the birds, enhance flock productivity and maximizes the overall success of the farm,
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Cheers.
