In ovo administration of the Marek's disease vaccine in conjunction with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 and its subsequent effects on the performance and immunity-related characteristics of Ross 708 broiler hatchlings1,2,3

S A Fatemi; A Mousstaaid; C J Williams; J Deines; S Poudel; I Poudel; K E C Elliott; E R Walters; N Forcier; E D Peebles

doi:10.1016/j.psj.2023.103199

In ovo administration of the Marek's disease vaccine in conjunction with 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ and its subsequent effects on the performance and immunity-related characteristics of Ross 708 broiler hatchlings^1,2,3

Poult Sci. 2024 Jan;103(1):103199. doi: 10.1016/j.psj.2023.103199. Epub 2023 Oct 15.

Authors

S A Fatemi¹, A Mousstaaid², C J Williams³, J Deines³, S Poudel², I Poudel², K E C Elliott⁴, E R Walters², N Forcier², E D Peebles²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA. Electronic address: sf1006@msstate.edu.
² Department of Poultry Science, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS 39762, USA.
³ Zoetis Animal Health, Research Triangle Park, NC 27703, USA.
⁴ Poultry Research Unit, USDA-ARS, Starkville, MS 39762, USA.

Abstract

The combined effects of the in ovo injection of commercial Marek's disease vaccine (MDV) and various levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D₃ (25OHD₃) on the hatch variables, immunological measurements, and gene expression of Ross 708 hatchling broilers were investigated. A total of 5 in ovo injection treatments that were applied at 18 d of incubation (doi) included: 1) noninjected (control); or a 50 μL solution volume of 2) MDV alone; or MDV combined with 3) 0.6 μg of 25OHD₃; 4) 1.2 μg of 25OHD₃; or 5) 2.4 μg of 25OHD₃. At hatch, hatchability of set and live embryonated eggs, hatchling body weight, hatch residue analysis, serum IgY and alpha-1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) concentrations, and the expression of genes related to immunity (INFα, INFβ, INFγ, TLR-3, and TLR-21) and vitamin D₃ activity (1 α-hydroxylase, 24 hydroxylase, and vitamin D receptor) were determined. No significant treatment differences were observed for hatchability of set and live embryonated eggs, or for serum IgY and AGP concentrations. However, hatchling body weight was higher when MDV was combined with either 1.2 or 2.4 μg of 25OHD₃ than when MDV was provided alone or in combination with 0.6 μg of 25OHD₃. Also, in comparison to the noninjected treatment group, the expression of the genes for 1 α-hydroxylase and 24 hydroxylase was improved when MDV was combined with either 1.2 or 2.4 μg of 25OHD₃. Lastly, expression of the genes linked to viral detection (TLR-3) and antibody production (INF-β) was increased in those treatments that contained any level of 25OHD₃. These results indicate that in comparison to controls, the effects of MDV were observed to be greater on hatchling BW and splenic gene expression when it was administered in combination with the 1.2 or 2.4 μg doses of 25OHD₃. Further research is needed to determine the posthatch effects of the administration of various levels of 25OHD₃ in combination with MDV.

Keywords: 25-hydroxycholecalciferol; Marek's disease vaccine; broiler; hatchability; in ovo injection.

MeSH terms

Animals
Body Weight
Calcifediol / pharmacology
Chickens
Marek Disease Vaccines*
Marek Disease* / prevention & control
Mixed Function Oxygenases
Ovum
Toll-Like Receptor 3

Substances

Calcifediol
Marek Disease Vaccines
25-hydroxyvitamin D
Toll-Like Receptor 3
Mixed Function Oxygenases