Comparative response to maternal vaccination, in ovo vaccination and post hatch vaccination on the neonatal immunocompetent traits of turkey poults

Abstract

An experiment was designed involving maternal vaccination (MV or no MV), in ovo vaccination (IV or no IV) and
conventional vaccination (CV or no CV). 7 days post ND (Newcastle disease) vaccination, 460 fertile eggs were collected
and on 25th embryonic day (ED), 230 eggs were in ovo vaccinated with formaldehyde inactivated ND F1 vaccine. After
hatch, half of the turkey chicks from respective group were conventionally vaccinated and reared. The group having
maternal vaccination and in ovo vaccination had higher hatchability. Haemagglutination inhibition (HI) titer (log2)
against ND vaccination was significantly higher in poults hatched from maternally vaccinated hens than the un-vaccinated
ones up to 28 days of age. The poults with in ovo vaccination, had higher titer than un-in ovo vaccinated poults till 49
days of age. Combination of maternal vaccination and in ovo vaccination had higher titre value than that in ovo vaccinated
group till 21 days of age. Thereafter only in ovo vaccinated groups had higher titre than either maternal or combination
of both. However, they had significantly higher titer values than unvaccinated poults. In ovo vaccination also had
apparently higher titer values than conventional vaccination till 28 days of age. In ovo vaccination and conventional
vaccination did not show any beneficial effect on HI titer. Only maternal vaccination maintained higher titer value than
conventional vaccination up to 21 days of age. Thereafter, conventional vaccinated group had higher titer value.
Combination of maternal vaccination and conventional vaccination did not elicit better immune response than either
maternal or conventional vaccination. Hence, it may be concluded that in ovo vaccination did not affect the hatchability
and combination of maternal and in ovo vaccination may elicit better antibody titer against ND vaccination in the
progeny.