Vaccination of pigeons: is it necessary and instructions for the use of drugs

Sick from infectious diseases not only people, but also domestic birds, including pigeons. Infections can take the lives of dozens of birds, and this is a big loss for the poultry farmer. You can solve the problem by vaccinating pigeons. Consider the causes of diseases, when and why vaccination of domestic pigeons is needed, which vaccine to choose and how to prepare the bird.

Causes of poultry infection

Vaccinate pigeons against 3 infections - verticillium (Newcastle disease), salmonellosis and smallpox. Smallpox is given later than other vaccines. Between vaccination against various diseases, a certain time must pass, about 1.5 weeks.During this time, immunity against each disease will form in the body of birds.

Pigeons can become infected due to a violation of the temperature and humidity regime, if the house is too warm, cold or damp. Keeping on a dirty litter leads to the fact that the birds become infected from each other when eating food, into which particles of droppings from sick individuals fall. Pathogens can be carried by blood-sucking insects, wild and farm birds. The infection can be introduced into the holding with new pigeons acquired from other holdings.

Do pigeons need to be vaccinated

The answer to this question is obvious: the vaccine contributes to the development of the body's immune response to pathogens. Thus, the body of pigeons becomes able to resist infection as long as the effect of the vaccine lasts. The organism of unvaccinated birds does not have time to develop antibodies and dies.

Livestock is vaccinated 2 times a year: in spring and autumn, when conditions favorable for pathogens occur during the off-season. Begin to vaccinate birds from 8-10 weeks of life, not earlier.

Preparing the animal

Be sure to vaccinate young animals, which are more susceptible to infections than adult stock. The whole flock is vaccinated at once, except for sick birds. If the bird is depressed, does not eat well, is inactive, it is not vaccinated. The introduction of pathogens into a weakened body, although inactivated, can worsen the condition of the pigeon. Only completely he althy birds can be vaccinated. Individuals with signs of disease should be isolated separately and vaccinated only after recovery or completion of treatment.

Before the vaccination period, pigeons are heavily fed to strengthen the body. Thin birds are more difficult to tolerate the introduction of foreign elements into their bodies. Instead of being helpful, drugs can be harmful in the form of complications or diseases they fight against.

There should be a month between vaccinations for different diseases. It is impossible to inject all drugs at once, so as not to burden the body of the bird.

Selection and instructions for using the vaccine

Pigeon vaccines come from different manufacturers, but when used correctly, they are equally effective. Among pigeon breeders, both live and inactivated vaccines are used. Many prefer to use the latter, although both have their advantages and disadvantages.

The use of inactivated vaccines has become widespread due to their advantages over live vaccines. After the introduction, there are no symptoms and outbreaks of the disease, immunity lasts for a long time. Side effects are not observed even with an overdose. The disadvantages are the long development of resistance to infection and the high cost of drugs.

Consider examples of drugs against salmonellosis, verticillium and smallpox. Against salmonellosis, the vaccine is valid for a year from the date of its release, if the storage took place in a dry and dark place. Immunity is developed after the 2nd treatment and works for 3 months. Birds are vaccinated against salmonellosis 2 times a year.

Against poultry breeders, the drug "Avivac" is popular. It is made from chicken embryos, chemicals and oil. Immunity is formed 28 days after the administration of the vaccine. The drug is administered to pigeons from the age of 3-4 months once in the chest or neck muscles, 1 vaccination dose. Use disposable syringes or reusable, boiled for 20 minutes. It is also used instillation into the nostril or into the eye. The vaccine is diluted with saline at the rate of 1 dose per 0.1 cu. see 2 drops per bird.

For the prevention of vertiches, the preparations "Golub-NB" and "La Sota" are also used."Dove-NB" is sold in vials of 20 and 100 vaccination doses. The vaccine is injected into the pectoral muscles at a dose of 0.25 cm3 per bird. The drug "La Sota" is instilled with an eye dropper into the nasal fissure in a volume of 0.1 cm3 (2 drops). Immunity is developed within 2 weeks, lasts 1 year. The vaccine is not used together with antibiotics and immunobiological preparations.

Against smallpox, birds are vaccinated in regions where foci of the disease are found, therefore such a vaccination is rarely done. For the introduction of drugs, injectors are used, which are disinfected by calcination or boiling. Immunity is developed within a week and lasts a year. The vaccine is also suitable for a whole year, if a precipitate appears in it, turbidity, discoloration, it must be thrown away. The solution is injected into the wing membrane or thigh muscles.

Before the procedure, you need to clean and disinfect the house. Processing is done in the absence of pigeons, after the time of action of the product, the room is ventilated.For some time after vaccination, birds are fed with vitamin preparations, nutritious food, so that the body of pigeons can quickly develop antibodies to pathogens.

If the vaccination is done on time, it is hoped that the pigeons will not get sick. It is carried out 2 times a year; despite the fact that this is a rather troublesome business, it should not be ignored. It is better to protect the farm from possible problems than to treat sick livestock later. It has been established in practice that more time and money will have to be spent on treating pigeons than on vaccination. And even in this case, it will not be possible to help all the sick, some of them will die.