LPM 221: Commercial Poultry Production and Hatchery Management (1+1)

ROUTES OF ADMINISTRATION OF VACCINES

• Intramuscular: Vaccine is injected into the muscle. This route is usually reserved for killed vaccines.
• Subcutaneous: Vaccine is injected under the loose skin. Typical sites are on the back of the neck and the leg fold between thigh and abdomen. (Click here to find the animation of subcutaneous vaccination)                     

• Ocular: Used for live vaccines, a liquid is placed by eye drop such that the solution flows through the lacrimal duct to the respiratory tract.
• Nasal: A drop of live vaccine is placed in the nostril
• Water: Vaccine is dispensed into the watering system either from a tank or via a proportioner. Vaccine goes into the respiratory and digestive tract by way of the throat. This method allows mass application of vaccine without handling each chicken.
• Wing web: A needle, usually double, is dipped into the vaccine. There is a small depression is the side of the needle that holds vaccine by surface tension. The vaccine is applied by puncturing the skin in the web of the wing. This method is used for fowl pox and some cholera vaccines.
• Aerosol: Vaccine is sprayed in the air over birds on the floor or aimed at the face of chickens in cages. Chickens do not need to be individually handled. Aerosol vaccination is usually practiced for the respiratory disease vaccines such as Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis, infectious laryngotracheitis and Mycoplasma gallisepticum
• Spray cabinet: Vaccine is sprayed on the birds by a special machine at the hatchery. This is a very good means of administering respiratory disease vaccine such as Newcastle and Infectious bronchitis to birds without being individually handled.
• In ovo: This method of vaccination is done at the hatchery. Eggs are transferred at 18 days from the setter to the hatcher. During transfer the eggs are placed in a machine that aseptically puches a hole in the shell and injects vaccine into the 18-day embryonating egg. This is the usual method of vaccinating broilers for Marek’s disease. This method avoids the need to handle every chick at hatch for Marek’s vaccination.

General instructions for vaccination

• Vaccination is like an insurance against the dreadful diseases, particularly against viruses that have no treatment. Therefore, timely vaccination with reliable vaccines is very essential.
• The cost of vaccines in general is very low. Vaccination also reduces secondary bacterial complications.
• MD vaccination also provides some protection against coccidiosis, CRD and ALC. Some important points regarding vaccination are,
  • Purchase vaccines from reputed manufacturers and their authorized agents and store them in refrigerator or deep freezer.
  • Ensure that the vaccine is well within expiry date.
  • Follow manufacturer’s instructions given with vaccines very thoroughly.
  • Preferably do the vaccination in cool hours i.e. in the morning or evening.
  • Preferably keep the vaccine container in ice bath and do not expose to sun light.
  • For vaccination in drinking water, keep the birds thirsty for a few hours before giving vaccine containing water.
  • Keep sufficient number of waterers and ensure that all the birds consume vaccine water within a shorter period.
  • Use cold water, free from chlorine, abnoxious smell or any drugs when vaccine is to be dissolved in it.