Automated Vaccination of Broiler Chicken Flocks

"In 2005 8.8 billion broiler chickens were produced in the United States. Improvements in vaccination uniformity and reductions in labor necessary for vaccination would greatly benefit the broiler industry. Current methods of field vaccination of broiler chickens in the field include administration via drinking water and spray application. The effectiveness of both methods is limited by non-uniform application and spray application is also labor intensive. The objectives of this research are to develop an automated spray vaccination system for use in a broiler house and determine the effectiveness of such a system. Broilers obtained from a commercial hatchery will be reared in a research facility and vaccinated with this system; blood samples will be taken from birds pre- and post-vaccination to assess the degree of vaccination and uniformity. The system will be applicable to all broiler houses with moveable nipple drinker systems and would require little or no modification to existing houses to integrate. Phase I research will determine if the method is feasible and will be performed in collaboration with researchers at the USDA-ARS Poultry Research Unit in Mississippi State, MS."