Authors : L. Sa’idu, P.A. Abdu and L.B. Tekdek
Abstract: Parent stock, Yolk and chicks from five commercial hatcheries at Zaria and Kaduna were evaluated for antibodies to Newcastle disease ( ND ). The ND vaccination history and the age (s) of the breeders were found out from the hatcheries. Haemmagglutination inhibition (HI) test was used for the detection and quantification of antibodies (AB) to ND in the parent stock, yolk and in the day old chicks. The HI titre of each bird, yolk and chick was determined and expressed in log 2 and the mean titres for the parent stock, yolk and chicks were calculated. The ages of the parent stock ranged from 30 weeks for hatchery A to 95 weeks for hatchery B, all the hatcheries used to administer ND vaccine Hitchner B1 ( intra ocular ) at day old, La Sota at 3 -5 weeks, Komorov at 6-8 weeks and another dose of komorov at 16 - 18 weeks. There after the birds were given booster ND vaccination using ND La Sota vaccine or killed oil emulsion Komorov vaccine The HI.AB titre for the parent stock ranged from 5.8 ± 1.6 to 7.6 ±1.6 log 2 and the titre for the egg also ranged from 5.1 ± 0.9 to 6.2 ± 1.7 log 2. The HI titre for the chick ranged from 3.4 ± 1.4 to 5.3 ± 1.1 log2 at 1day (d) old and it declines to a lowest value of 1.1 ± 1.2 log 2 at 28d. The study shows that all the parent stock had protective AB titre (5.8 ± 1.6 to 7.6 ± 1.6 ) and there is a correlation between the AB titre in the serum of the parent stock and that of the yolk. The AB titre in the chicks declines to non-protective level (1.5 ± 1.1 log 2) at 14 d. It was concluded that although the titres of the parent stock is within protective level, it is still low and that the yolk of fertile eggs can be used to determine the AB titre of the parent stock.
Sa’idu, L. , P.A. Abdu and L.B. Tekdek , 2006. Newcastle Disease Antibodies in Parent Stock, Yolk and Chicks. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 5: 503-506.