Target species
Chickens (broilers and future layers/breeders).
Indications for use
For active immunisation of chickens (broilers and future layers/breeders) to reduce mortality and clinical signs due to infection with Newcastle disease virus.
Onset of immunity: 3 weeks post vaccination.
Duration of immunity: 5 weeks post vaccination.
Special warnings for each target species
Vaccinate healthy animals only.
Maternally Derived Antibodies (MDA) can interfere with the development of active immunity. In flocks where high levels of MDAs are expected, vaccination programme should be planned accordingly.
Special precautions for use in animals
All the birds in the flock should be vaccinated at the same time. The vaccine strain can spread to susceptible, unvaccinated birds for at least 10 days following vaccination. The spread does not induce clinical signs. The vaccine strain can spread to non-target susceptible species. Appropriate veterinary and husbandry measures should be taken to avoid spread of the vaccine strain to susceptible species.
The vaccine virus can disseminate to the trachea, spleen, kidneys, lung, caecal tonsils, duodenum and brains of chickens without inducing pathological changes to these organs.
Special precautions to be taken by the person administering the veterinary medicinal product to animals
Care should be taken when handling and administering the vaccine.
Newcastle disease virus can cause a mild transient conjunctivitis in the person administering the vaccine.
Personal protective equipment consisting of well-fitting masks and eye protection to European standards should be worn when handling the veterinary medicinal product. Personnel involved in attending vaccinated chickens should follow general hygiene principles (washing/disinfecting hands, changing clothes, wearing gloves, cleaning and disinfection of boots) and take particular care in handling animal waste and bedding materials litter from recently vaccinated chickens.
Adverse reactions
Respiratory disturbances such as tracheal rales occur very commonly after intranasal/ocular route of administration. These signs could last at least two weeks.
The frequency of adverse reactions is defined using the following convention:
- very common (more than 1 in 10 animals treated displaying adverse reaction(s))
- common (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 100 animals treated)
- uncommon (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 1,000 animals treated)
- rare (more than 1 but less than 10 animals in 10,000 animals treated)
- very rare (less than 1 animal in 10,000 animals treated, including isolated reports)
Use during pregnancy and lactation
Laying birds:
Do not use in birds in lay and within 4 weeks before the start of the laying period.
Interactions
No information is available on the safety and efficacy of this vaccine when used with any other veterinary medicinal product. A decision to use this vaccine before or after any other veterinary medicinal product therefore needs to be made on a case by case basis.
Amounts to be administered and administration route
Coarse spray and oculonasal route: from one day of age.
Drinking water route: from 7 days of age.
The method of application depends on the epizootiological situation, age category and number of animals.
Oculonasal administration:
Suspend 1000 doses of the vaccine in 100 ml distilled water.
A dose of reconstituted vaccine is 0.1 ml, i.e. two drops, irrespective of poultry age, weight and type. Instil one drop into the eye and one drop into the nostril.
For chickens aged from 1 to 14 days of smaller breeds, 4 drops of 25 μl should be used. Administer one drop in each eye (0.05 ml altogether) and then one drop in each nostril (0.05 ml altogether).
Drinking water administration:
Suspend the vaccine in cool and clean water without traces of chlorine, other disinfectants or impurities in a number of doses corresponding to the number of birds to be vaccinated. Where the number of birds is between the standard dosages, the next higher dosage should be used.
The vaccine should be suspended immediately before use.
Measure the correct volume of water for the number of birds to be vaccinated. The volume of water for reconstitution depends on the age of the birds, breed, management practice and weather conditions. In order to determine the quantity of water in which vaccine will be suspended, measure the volume of water consumed within a two hours period one day before vaccination.
The vaccine should be dissolved in the amount of water which will be drunk within 1.5-2.0 hours (taking into account the different types of drinking systems for poultry).
As an orientation guide for younger chickens (until 3rd week of life), apply reconstituted vaccine to cold and fresh water at the rate of 1,000 doses of vaccine to 1 litre of water per day of age for 1,000 chickens, e.g. 7 litres would be needed for 1,000, 7 day old chickens.
In order to make the birds thirsty, withdraw the supply of drinking water up to 2 hours prior to immunisation (birds drinking behaviour varies, depending on the air temperature, type of birds, breed, management, weather conditions).
The drinking system should work properly and should be clean, without traces of chlorine, other disinfectants or impurities.
If needed, turn the lights down low when the water is turned off. After vaccine is in drinking system, increase light. Increased light intensity will stimulate the birds to look for food and water.
Once the vaccine has been consumed, resume management practices as normal. This approach to vaccination will ensure a more even vaccination of the flock and will be less stressful to the birds. Performance should therefore be less adversely affected.
Spray administration:
It is recommended to resuspend 1000 doses of the vaccine in 150-300 ml of distilled water. The number of doses diluted corresponds to the number of birds in a flock.
The volume of water for reconstitution should be sufficient to ensure an even distribution when sprayed onto the birds, and will vary according to the age of the birds being vaccinated and the management system. The reconstituted vaccine suspension should be spread evenly over the correct number of chickens, at a distance of 30–40 cm using a coarse spray (targeted average droplet size of 150-170 microns), preferably when the chickens are sitting together in dim light.
Overdose
Slightly open mouth breathing was seen very commonly 8-12 days post vaccination after application of a tenfold overdose by coarse spray in laboratory study; these signs disappeared within 12 days.
Withdrawal periods
Zero days.