Recipient Organization
LONG BRANCH CO., INC.
1014 EAST INDUSTRIAL ROAD
WEST POINT,MS 39773
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Situation or Problem: In 2007 an estimated 9.1 billion broiler chickens were produced in the United States. Improvements in vaccination uniformity and reductions in labor necessary for vaccination would greatly benefit the broiler industry. Current methods of field vaccination of broiler chickens in the field include administration via drinking water and spray application. The effectiveness of both methods is limited by non-uniform application and spray application is also labor intensive.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
100%
Developmental
(N/A)
Goals / Objectives
Improvements in vaccination uniformity and reductions in labor necessary for vaccination would greatly benefit the broiler industry. Current methods of field vaccination of broiler chickens in the field include administration via drinking water and spray application. The effectiveness of both methods is limited by non-uniform application and spray application is also labor intensive. The overall goal of this research effort is to refine the automated vaccination system developed in Phase I and adapt it to commercial-scale applications. Specific tasks to be completed include: 1) determine parameters necessary for optimization of vaccine application in a commercial setting and 2) develop and finalize a full-scale prototype system for use in a commercial facility. A working commercial-scale prototype and management guidelines for vaccine application are expected products from the proposed research. An automated vaccine application system will improve profitability for poultry producers and biosecurity while reducing labor requirements.
Project Methods
This research project is comprised of two principal areas: determining bird management practices necessary for optimal vaccine application and subsequent seroconversion, as well as development of a commercial-scale prototype. A series of experiments will be conducted with pen-scale tests to determine how environmental or seasonal factors affect bird response to the automated system operation. Birds will be placed in pens per typical commercial stocking densities. Different temperature and humidity conditions will be tested to determined their effects on bird response and seroconversion. Birds will be vaccinated at 17 days per commercial practice and reared to 42 days to assess seroconversion by acquiring blood samples from 10% of the birds in the trial. A prototype automated system constructed at commercial scale will be installed in a commercial broiler production facility and used to administer Infectious Bronchitis vaccine. Broiler flocks are commonly vaccinated against this disease across the broiler producing areas of the U.S., both at the hatchery and in the field. All chicks will receive an initial vaccination at the hatchery. Birds will be delivered and placed per typical commercial practice. The automated system will be used in one house, while the other house receives vaccination using the integrator's current vaccination methods. Blood samples will be collected from 100 birds per house, for a total of 200 samples four weeks post-vaccination to assess the efficacy of the spray vaccination system and compare against the other house. Serum samples from each sample period will be tested for the uniformity of serologic response as well as magnitude of serologic response using standard ELISA test methodologies. A minimum of five flocks will be tested, which will take approximately 20 months to complete.