THE EFFICACY OF INTERMEDIATE AND INTERMEDIATE-PLUS INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE VACCINE FOR THE PREVENTION OF INFECTIOUS BURSAL DISEASE IN BROILERS

Abstract

Ninety six, fourteen day-old, broiler chickens were randomly divided into four groups of 24 birds. Groups 1 and 2 were orally vaccinated with live commercial intermediate-plus and intermediate infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccines, respectively. Groups 3 and 4 served as a positive and negative non-vaccinated controls, respectively. Blood samples were collected at 14, 28 and 38 days of age for determining IBD antibody titers by an ELISA test. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were challenged with an IBD virus, isolated in Thailand, when 28 day of age.
Average body weight, FCR, bursa/body weight index and the average bursal lesion score at 28 and 38 days were compared. At 28 days old, the average body weight and bursa/body weight index were not significantly different (p>0.05) compared to chickens in groups 3 and 4. At 38 days the average body weight, FCR and bursa/body weight index of chickens in groups 1 and 2 were better than those of group 3.