Evaluation of the response of Turkey strains to Salmonella and Newcastle vaccines

This research work was carried out to evaluate the immune response of 3 turkey strains to salmonella and Newcastle vaccines measured via antibody titre. The study deployed a total of 120 poults (40 black, 40 white and 40 lavender) strains. To ascertain the initial antibody titre of all the birds, blood samples were obtained from their wing veins immediately after acclimatization for salmonella and Newcastle antibody titre. The test for salmonella and Newcastle antibody titre responses of the birds were performed using widal and haemagglutination inhibition (HI), respectively. The birds were divided into two broad groups tagged as A and B, which represented Salmonella and Newcastle vaccines, respectively. Each group had 3 sub-groups denoting the 3 strains of turkey used for the study. After vaccination, blood samples were collected from all the birds at 3 and 5 days for laboratory assessment of antibody titre response. The results showed that there was significant increase (p<0.05) in the antibody titre response of all the turkey strains after vaccination. Results obtained on the time of exposure of the birds to vaccine revealed that higher antibody titre values were obtained from the black and white turkey strains at 3 days than at 5 days after administration of Newcastle vaccine, except in the lavender strain, which had higher titre value at 5 days after Newcastle vaccination. Following administration of salmonella vaccine, black and lavender strains had statistically higher antibody titre response (2.03 and 2.10 mean loge widal, respectively) than white strain (1.86 mean loge widal). Similarly, the black strain also had higher antibody titre value when Newcastle vaccine was administered (2.35 mean loge HI) followed by lavender (1.99 mean loge HI) and white strain (1.71 mean loge HI). Black strains showed more antibody titre response and by implication, stronger immunity to Salmonella and Newcastle vaccines. More importantly, the differential response of the 3 turkey strains to vaccine could give turkey breeders the choice of selection of turkey breeds for disease resistance breeding.