Standard Vaccination Procedure

An old proverb says “PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE”. There are many methods of prevention of disease in poultry birds. Preventive vaccination for various diseases is on top of this list. Although cost of vaccines and vaccination is insignificant as compared to total cost of production in poultry,  minor mistakes in selection of vaccine and its administration can result in huge losses to poultry farmer. It is very important to control diseases in poultry for better returns. Health of birds depends upon their immune status. In this article, we are going to discuss about immunity, types of vaccines, various methods of vaccine administration in poultry, precautions during vaccination and likely common mistakes in handling and administration of vaccine by vaccine administrator.

Immunity
The state of resistance to an infection is called as immunity. In case of poultry, immunity plays a very important role on the performance of birds.

Types of Immunity
The immunity is mainly of two types:

• Natural Immunity: The immunity which comes from dam to chicks and from natural field outbreaks to live birds is called as natural immunity.
• Artificial Immunity: The immunity which is acquired after birth by means of vaccination is called as Artificial Immunity.

What is Vaccine?
It is a preparation of live attenuated or killed or micro-organisms such as bacteria or viruses that is administered to produce or artificially increase immunity to a particular disease. The process involved is called as vaccination.

Types of vaccines
There are mainly two types of vaccines:

• Live vaccines: These types of vaccines contain low doses of less virulent or attenuated or nonpathogenic bacteria or viruses. e.g. LaSota
• Inactivated / Killed vaccines: These types of vaccines contain high doses of killed bacteria or viruses. e.g. ND Killed, FC killed

Relative merits and demerits of live and killed vaccine

• Live vaccine requires lesser dose as the bacteria or virus is live in it, but killed vaccine requires high dose.
• In case of live vaccine there is no need of adjuvant but killed vaccine needs adjuvant.
• Killed vaccines are stable on storage but not live vaccines.
• Live vaccine gives early protection but killed vaccine takes more time to produce immunity.
• Live vaccine gives local protection but not killed vaccines.
• Killed vaccine gives long lasting immunity, whereas immunity produced by live vaccines is short lived.
• In case of killed vaccine there is no interference if more than one component is combined e. g. two way, three way killed vaccines.
• There are lesser chances of hyper sensitivity reactions in live vaccines.
• Chances of containing contaminating agents are lesser in killed vaccines.

Methods of vaccination
Depending upon the way of administration there are following methods of vaccination:

Individual vaccination

• Intra ocular
• Intra nasal
• Oral
• Injection
• Beak dipping
• Wing web

Mass vaccination

• Drinking water vaccination
• Spray vaccination

Reconstitution of live vaccine

• Take little quantity of pre-chilled diluent by a sterile syringe and slowly transfer it in to the vaccine vial.
• Slowly shake the vaccine vial to dissolve the contents.
• Re-collect solution from vaccine vial and transfer it in to diluent bottle slowly.
• Repeat this procedure to completely wash off the vaccine vial.
• The reconstituted vaccine should be kept on ice and should be used within one hour.
• The empty vaccine vials should be discarded safely.

Administration of vaccine
Drinking water vaccination:

• Only cold, clean water of drinking quality should be used.
• The pH of water should be 5.5 to 7.5.Acidify if the water is more alkaline.
• Water should be free from chlorine or any chemical disinfectant.
• Use dried skimmed milk powder (@ 2.5gm/lit for nipple system and 6gm/litre for open/bell drinkers) or Sodium Thiosulphate 99% pure (@16mg/lit). In case dried skimmed milk powder is not available, use skimmed milk (@ 20ml/litre) at least 20 minutes before reconstituting the vaccine. It increases the virus livability and nutralizes the chlorine present in water. (The dose of sodium thiosulphate depends on chlorine ppm in water. The addition ratio advised herewith is  considering 2-3 ppm of Chlorine level in water.)Ensure that all equipments used for vaccination is carefully cleaned and free of detergents and disinfectants.
• Birds should be water starved one to two hours prior to vaccination depending upon climate.
• The quantity of water required for vaccination is the amount of water required for two hours on that day.
• The quantity water required for vaccination is calculated on the basis of age, feed consumption, season (climatic condition).Generally 10% of total water consumption per day is taken for vaccination.
• Use only plastic drinkers, containers, water cans to prepare and distribute the vaccine.
• The water system must be drained prior to administering the vaccinated water to avoid the first chickens quenching their thirst on normal water.
• Use 10% of ice to cool the water to 150 to 200 C temperatures.                    
• Add ice first and make the water cool, then add the vaccine.
• Provide adequate number of drinkers.
• Ice should not be from chlorinated water source.
• Sufficient drinker space is required to allow free access to the vaccine solution.

Thirsty birds drinking vaccinated water

Spray Administration:

• Use 500ml of water for 1000 doses.
• Temperature of water should be around 200 C
• Pressure should be minimum 2 bars.
• Droplet size should be 100-300u (115u).
• Spray from height of 30-40 cm above birds.
• Curtains should be opened 5-10 minutes after spray.

Spray Vaccination

Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Injections:

• The site of administration is most commonly the breast muscle or leg muscle for intramuscular injection and back side of middle neck for subcutaneous injection.
• Use a 12.5mm (1/2”), 20-22 gauge needle (gauge of needle depends on age of the birds).
• Needle should be changed after every 500 birds.
• Blunt needles and needles with burs must be replaced immediately.
• While administering vaccine in breast muscle, the needle should be parallel to breast bone and its direction towards head of the bird.
• While administering vaccine in leg muscle, needle should be injected in to outer side of thigh. Care should be taken to avoid any injury to nerves and tendons.
• For subcutaneous method, vaccine is injected under the skin of back side of middle neck; the direction of needle should be towards back of the bird.
• Syringe must be calibrated prior to use and at regular intervals during vaccination procedure.

                       
Eye Drop Administration:

• The vaccine is being put in one of the eye of birds.
• This is most effective but labor intensive method.
• Each bird should be held until it blinks eye after the droplet is applied.

Eye drop vaccination

Nasal Administration:

• This method involves introducing the vaccine into the bird’s nostrils either as a dust or as a drop.
• Always ensure that the applicator delivers the correct dose for the vaccine being used.

Oral Administration:

• Vaccine dose is given in to the mouth/ beak.
• Care should be taken that each bird gets vaccine.

Wing Web Method

• This route is mostly used for Fowl pox vaccines.
• This is a labour intensive method.
• With the use of Lancet (a special two-pronged needle), the vaccine is given in to the skin of the wing web.
• The needle must pass through both skin tissue layers thereby releasing the vaccine in to the region.
• Care should be taken that the lancet/needle should not pass through wing bones and feathers.
• Swelling at the site of injection after seven days post vaccination is the indication of “vaccine take”.
• Swelling with redness and discharge indicate bacterial contamination.
• If there is no swelling or scab at the site of injection, it indicates a missed bird.
• Observe 2% of bird for vaccination success.

Application of Inactivated Vaccines

• Bring the vaccine bottle to room temperature (200-250 C) 12 hours prior to vaccination.
• Use a sterilized needle of 12.5mm (1/2”), 20-22 gauges.
• The needle should be changed for every 500 birds in order to avoid contamination of bacteria or viruses.
• Shake well vaccine bottle prior to vaccination and frequently shake the bottle during vaccination.
• In case of using automatic syringe, it should be checked properly that it is working correctly and the precision of the dose delivered should be verified.
• On completion of vaccination, dispose of the used vaccine vials in a safe manner.

Maintaining Cold Chain

• Cold chain is the system of transporting and storing vaccines within the temperature range of 20  to 80 C.
• Vaccines are delicate biological substances that can be less effective or destroyed if they are;
• Frozen.
• Allowed to get too hot.
• Exposed to direct sunlight or fluorescent light.
• Vaccines should be maintained within the temperature range of 20  to 80  C, killed vaccines should not be frozen.
• The loss of vaccine efficacy is cumulative and cannot be reversed.
• Monitor and record the temperature of refrigerator regularly (at least twice daily).
• Always use insulated container filled with ice for transport of vaccines.

Methods of Destruction of Empty Vaccine Vials
Incineration:

• In this method vaccine vials are destroyed by using high temperature in incinerator.
• This is very effective but costly method.

Deep burial:

• Vaccine vials are dumped in a deep pit.
• Pit should be away from the farm.
• This method should be used if Incinerator not available.

Boiling:

• Empty Vaccine vials are boiled for five minutes in water.         
• This method is suitable for small farms.

Guidelines for Successful Vaccination

• Vaccinate only healthy birds.
• Keep the reconstituted vaccine on ice bath.
• Reconstitute vaccine required for one hour only.
• Do not break for other work once the vaccination starts.
• Carry out vaccination in cool hours of the day.
• Always record the vaccine batch number, date of expiry and manufacture’s name.
• Vaccines should be stored and transported as per the recommended temperatures.
• Vaccine vials should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
• Consult your veterinarian for specific vaccination schedule for your farm.
• Killed vaccine should be brought to ambient temperature (150-250 C) before vaccination.
• Do not use any vaccine or diluents after expiry date.
• Shake the inactivated vaccine bottle well before and frequently during vaccination.
• Use all sterilized equipments like syringe, needle, dropper, vaccinator etc. for vaccination.
• Use vaccine entirely once the bottle is opened. Left over vaccine should be discarded properly.
• Reconstitute the vaccine only with diluents supplied by manufacturer.
• Destroy all empty vials and unused vaccines after vaccination.
• One person should be responsible for storage and dilution of the vaccine.

Common Mistakes

• Exposing vials to high temperatures/sunlight.
• Carrying vaccine in pockets.
• Not chilling the diluents before reconstitution of live vaccines.
• Improper/no sterilization of equipment’s. 
• Use of chemicals for cleaning syringe /needles.
• Storing the vaccine at more / less than 20 to 80 C.
• Not changing needles after 500 birds.
• Under dosing.
• Using diluents, other than provided by manufacturer.
• Vaccinating during high temperature hours.
• Stopping the vaccination for tea break.
• Using water with disinfectant for drinking water vaccination.
• Not keeping the cool temperature of water during drinking water vaccination.
• Using milk powder instead of skimmed milk powder.
• Not checking the dose dispensed frequently.
• Mixing two vaccines to save labor and time.

We suggest the owner of the farm or at least the farm manager should be present personally during vaccination of birds. This will ensure good vaccination practices by the farm staff or vaccination crew. Vaccination should be considered as insurance for better performance of the birds. If all the precautions mentioned in this article are rigidly followed, the chances of vaccine failure due to mistakes in handling and administration of vaccine are very low.

Note: There are many reasons of vaccine failure besides these points. Should vaccine failure happen, please consult your farm veterinarian to find out probable cause of vaccine failure.

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