For drinking water, spray, intranasal or eye drop administration.
Drinking Water
For birds 2 weeks of age or older. Never use less than one dose per bird. Discontinue any drinking water medication 24 hours before vaccination.
•Water containing a high level of free chlorine should not be used. A general indication is that if chlorine can be detected in the water by smell or by taste it could deactivate the living virus. If so 1 pint (500 ml) of skimmed milk should be thoroughly mixed into every 5 gallons (20 litres) of water before adding the vaccine. Only perfectly clean and rust free utensils and drinkers (preferably plastic) should be used, and disinfectants and detergents must not be used for cleaning. Ensure that there is enough drinking trough space to allow all birds immediate access to the vaccine. No untreated water should be available until the treated water has been consumed. Withhold the water 1-2 hours before vaccination to stimulate thirst.
•Remove the aluminium seal from the vaccine vial. To dissolve the vaccine pellet, the rubber stopper should then be removed whilst the vial is immersed in a plastic measuring jug containing one litre (approximately 1 quart) of clean cool water. Half fill the vial with water, replace the stopper and shake to dissolve any remaining vaccine.
•The vaccine concentrate should then be added to and thoroughly mixed with sufficient drinking water to last for approximately 2 hours.
•The approximate drinking water requirements are given in table 1.
•Distribute the diluted vaccine evenly in the drinkers.
•Do not expose prepared drinking water vaccine to sunlight.
•Return to regular watering only after the vaccine water has been consumed.
•The vaccine solution is best divided so that the drinkers are charged at least twice with the vaccine to ensure a more widespread uptake.
•If nipple drinkers are employed, ensure that header tanks are continually refilled with water containing vaccine.
•The vaccine may be used in automatic watering equipment. However, the main supply should only be turned on when all the vaccine-treated water has been consumed.
Table 1: Approximate drinking water requirements |
| Quantity per 1,000 birds |
Age of Birds | Gallons | Litres |
First week | ½–1 | 2–4 |
Weeks 2–4 | 2–2½ | 8–10 |
Weeks 5–7 | 3-4 | 12–16 |
8 weeks and over | 4½-5 | 18–20 |
NB: Check that all birds are never left without water after vaccine treatment.
Spray
For birds 4 weeks of age or older.
Hitchner B1 vaccine, has been successfully used in most types of spray equipment, the droplet sizes varying from coarse (Knapsack) to very fine (aerosol).
The vaccine should be dissolved as described under drinking water administration. The vaccine concentrate should then be added to the water in the sprayer tank and thoroughly mixed.
Intranasal
For use in birds from one day of age. Reconstitute the vaccine as directed below. Fit the drop dispenser on the bottle. Place finger over one nostril of the bird, allow one drop of the vaccine to fall into the other nostril. Vaccination is completed when the vaccine is inhaled into the nasal cavity. Do not release the bird until this occurs.
Eye Drop
For use in birds from one day of age. Reconstitute the vaccine as directed below. Fit the drop dispenser on the bottle. Hold the bird so that one eye is pointed upward and allow one drop of vaccine to fall into the eye.
Reconstitution for intranasal and eye drop routes
Remove the aluminium foil and rubber stopper from the vaccine vial and add sterile diluent to half fill the vial. Replace the rubber stopper and shake so that all the vaccine material is completely dissolved.