Detailed Explanation of Key Points in the Disease Immunization Program for Silkie Chickens
Bacterial diseases in Silkie chickens can be prevented and treated with antibacterial drugs, while viral diseases can only be prevented through immunization. Therefore, formulating a reasonable immunization program is particularly important. Only with a scientific and reasonable immunization program can the health of the flock be ensured, thereby achieving maximum economic benefits.
The formulation of an immunization program should, first, be based on the epidemic situation of diseases in the local area and the rearing environment, that is, no prevention is needed for infectious diseases that have never occurred in the local area; diseases that have not occurred before in the local area but have just begun to occur and are seriously harmful must be prevented; and those that occur frequently and are seriously harmful should be given key prevention, such as avian influenza, Newcastle disease, and infectious bronchitis of the kidney type. Second, it should be based on the state of the flock, that is, only a healthy flock can produce an immune response to the vaccine and produce antibodies. The effect of immunization is poor when the flock is under stress or in a disease state, especially when the flock suffers from certain immunosuppressive diseases such as leukemia, infectious bursal disease, and Marek's disease, and the immune system is damaged, vaccination can only produce low levels of antibodies and many adverse reactions. Third, it should be based on the characteristics of the vaccine itself, such as the strength of virulence and the length of the protection period. Generally, inactivated vaccines and attenuated live vaccines are used in combination.
The commonly used immunization program and health care program for Silkie chickens are as follows:
1 day of age: within 24 hours after hatching, inject 1 dose of Marek's vaccine subcutaneously. Gentamicin can also be injected at the same time to prevent pullorum disease.
1-3 days of age: mainly reduce the number of mycoplasmas in the chicks through medication, which is very meaningful for preventing the occurrence of chronic respiratory disease. At the same time, it is also very necessary to use drugs to prevent and treat Escherichia coli, so drugs such as pefloxacin mesylate should be selected, which have good control effects on both chronic respiratory disease and E. coli. At 1-3 days of age, it is best to administer immunopotentiators such as Astragalus polysaccharides, which can restore damaged immune organs and improve the specific immune function in the chick's body.
4 days of age: infectious bronchitis of the kidney type attenuated vaccine + Newcastle disease strain IV, 2 times the dose by drinking water or eye drop. At the same time, inject 0.25 ml of infectious bronchitis of the kidney type oil emulsion single vaccine. Also add electrolytic multivitamins to the drinking water to supplement nutrition and prevent stress.
10 days of age: infectious bronchitis of the kidney type attenuated vaccine + Newcastle disease strain IV, 2 times the dose by drinking water or eye drop. At the same time, perform beak trimming and 1 dose of fowl pox wing web stab vaccination. Add electrolytic multivitamins to the drinking water to supplement nutrition, and add VK3 to prevent bleeding.
15 days of age: 1 dose of intermediate virulence infectious bursal disease vaccine by oral drip or 1.5 times the dose by drinking water, then mix Newcastle disease and avian influenza H5 and inject 0.3 ml subcutaneously per bird.
22 days of age: inject 2 doses of Newcastle disease strain I vaccine subcutaneously per bird (in areas with high incidence of Newcastle disease) or 2 times the dose of Newcastle disease strain IV vaccine by drinking water. Mix Newcastle disease and avian influenza H5 and inject 0.3 ml subcutaneously per bird. At this age, birds are most susceptible to viral diseases, mostly infectious bursal disease, Newcastle disease, infectious bronchitis of the kidney type, and influenza, so traditional Chinese medicine antiviral drugs should be administered, and broad-spectrum antibacterial drugs should also be added to prevent and treat respiratory tract infection and Escherichia coli disease. Add electrolytic multivitamins to the drinking water to supplement nutrition.
40-45 days of age: inject 0.5 ml of Newcastle disease and infectious bronchitis bivalent oil emulsion vaccine subcutaneously per bird. To prevent and treat enteritis and respiratory disease at this stage, 0.5% allicin and kitasamycin can be added to the feed for prevention.
For 65-day-old growing chickens, use Newcastle disease strain IV vaccine for drinking water immunization. In the middle and late stages, to improve growth, Dahuang Suda San and Astragalus, Codonopsis, Poria, and Licorice, which promote growth and improve immunity, can be added to the feed at 1%.