Poultry industry looks at breakthrough in chick vaccination WASHINGTON, D.C. - Scientists now have vaccinated chicks through the eggshell before they - hatch to- prevent March’s disease, a technique veterinarians believe can drastically cut the nation’s poultry losses in the years ahead. A vaccine'for Marek’s disease has been in use since 1971, but a technical problem has limited its effectiveness. The problem, said Terry B. Kinney, acting administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Agricultural Research Service, is that chicks are vaccinated after they are hatched. , - ' Chicks usually are vaccinated within a few hours after hatching and placed in brooder houses where exposure to Marke’s disease can occur,, said Kinney. But the time between vaccination and sometimes is so short that chicks do not develop adequate immunity. Result: Sothe vaccinated chicks still get the disease. Vaccinating the chicks before they hatch solve this problem by giving them more time to develop the needed immunity, said Kinney. “These research results demonstrate for the first time that resistance can be established in chick embryos through vac cination. Use of the new technique will help the poultry industry save billions of doDars in the future,” said Kinney. “The savings will result from reduced deaths and comdemnations of poultry, im proved ■ feed utilization and in creased egg production.” ' Marek’s disease is the leading cause of poultrylosses. USDA veterinary-, scientists njL jn ✓ |V SBM Sunnypig Broodei jate their power down from above; the piglets and floor are kept well heated. M Swine & Poultry Systems RMER BOY AG. me 457 E. MAIN AVE.. MYERSTOWN, PA 17067 Call 717-866-7565 For An Appointment or Stop By Our Office. Our Trained Vz Mile East Of Myerstown Staff Will Do Their Best To Assist You With Layout And Design. developed the pre-hatch vac cination. methods at the Agricultural Research Service’s .Regional Poultry Laboratory at East Lansing, Mich. Jagdev M. Sharma, USDA scientist who developed the technique, said birds vaccinated three days beforehatch had an 8 to 1 ratio of disease resistance. All unvaccinated birds developed the disease. “We have found vaccination of chick embryos very successful,” he said. “It had no adverse effect on percent of hatch or rates of gain.” " Sharma said,the chicks vac cinated before they hatch are “protected by the time they hatch so they can overcome exposure” to thedisease. Before the vaccine became available to poultry producers. Marek’s disease cost the poultry industry almost $3OO million a year. In 1971, the first year the . vaccine was used nationally, benefits to the poultry industry were estimated at about $3O million. By 1974, the first year the vac cine was used by the entire poultry industry, gross benefits had climbed to $628 million and are expected to reach $2 billion by 1983—compared to vaccine research costs of $32 million over a 10-year period. Once testing of the new vac cination technique was started, Sharma said, “We were surprised by the results. Chicks, were protected from Marek’s disease by the time they hatched,, so they overcame early exposure to the disease much better than chicks vaccinated at hatching, now a common practice in commercial /i\ Best in Design, Price and Experience production. “Whether our methods, under laboratory conditions, would be a practical alternative remains to be determined. It also remains to be seen whether this method of vaccination is feasible for other diseases. “We found optimum protection was achieved if vaccination was EPHRATA “Agriculture-A Pattern For Growth” will be the focus of the 103rd annual PennAg Industries Association Convention Tuesday through Thursday. The group will meet at'the Buck Hill hi Buck Hill Falls, Pa. Besides gathering for the traditional yearly banquet, members attending the event will hear speakers covering such topics as ‘‘Crystall Balling the Agribusiness Scene,” “Genetic Engineering”, "Energy-Yesterd ay, Today and Tomorrow”, - “Animal Welfare and the Poultry Industry”, and the “Economic Recovery Tax Bill of 1981”. A panel discussion discussing agribusiness loans and the management of finances will be featured. The statewide trade organization of agribusiness arms will gather experts from across the nation to address its members. Scheduled to speak are Edward SBM Brooders For Hogs MANY SIZES IN STOCK n\ Penn Ag convention begins on Tuesday Call Farmer Boy Ag... We Won't Be Undersold! Lancaster farming, Saturday, September 12,1981—8 S done at about the elghteenth day of embryonation,'the same time embryonated eggs routinely are transferred to hatching trays. It may be possible for commercial producers to vaccinate and transfer eggs at the same time,” Sharma said. Shariha and a colleague, Ben R. Burmester, exposed test birds—of Millbank, Millbank Mills, Cbillicothe, MD; Ralph Lewis, Gulf Oil, Los Angeles, Ca.; Dr. Ari Van Tienhoven, Cornell Univer sity, Ithaca, N.Y.; R.B. Caton, Ralston Purina Co., Camp Hill, Pa.; and James Wright Jr., Penn The event will also State. Speaking on the panel will be feature exhibits and displays, a Vince Philadelphia golf and tennis 'tournament, a National Bank, Philadelphia; Neil -ladies program and evening en- S. Andre, Andre & Son, Montrose; tertainment. The Convention will Tom Brown, F.M., Brown’s Sons, close with Penn Ag’s annual Fleetwood; Ned Clark, Clark’s Ag business meeting. KNMSVUMNIA A6MCUUVK WE’RE GROWING BETTER a genetic line developed for use at the laboratory because it is highly susceptible to Marek’s disease three days after hatching. Vaccination before birth has been tried with mammals in medical research, said Sharma, but these injections are laborious and resulting aboration problems have not been overcome. Center, TurbotviUe; and Henry Hunsberger, Agronomy Inc., Mercersburg. H. Louis Moore, i Penn State, will serve as moderator. Operating Costs 50% Less Than Heat Bulbs. Simple to. Install. Highly Reliable
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