July 15, 2014
US researchers compare effectiveness of recombinant IBD vaccines
The US Poultry and Egg Association and the US Poultry Foundation have completed a funded research project at the University of Delaware and the Ohio State University, that compared the effectiveness of recombinant infectious bursal disease (IBD) vaccines.
The project is part of the Association's research programme involving all phases of poultry and egg production and processing. This comes at a time when recombinant
IBD vaccines have been utilised to protect chickens against both Marek's disease and IBD.
Briefly, the researchers found that both of their vaccines which they used for comparison provided better protection in SPF maternal antibody-free white leghorns than in maternal antibody positive broilers. Protection varied against different IBD challenge viruses and differences were seen in the protection provided by the two vaccines.
Overall, bursal lesion scores in challenged broilers appeared to be lower with the use of one of the vaccines compared to lesion scores in broilers vaccinated with the other vaccine.