Assessment of Antibody Titer and Lymphoid Organs Weight Following Newcastle Disease Vaccination and Feed-Supplementation of Vitamin-C, Probiotics and Antibiotic-Growth-Promoters in Japanese Quails

Abstract Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious viral disease. This study was conducted to determine the antibody titer in Japanese quails following vaccination against ND and feed-supplementation with vitamin-C, probiotics and antibiotic-growth-promoters. Forty Japanese quails were equally grouped in four groups (A1 to A4) and were vaccinated by LaSota, B1, F and VG/GA strains, respectively, at the age of 10 days. Another forty Japenese quails were equally grouped in four groups (B1 to B4), were vaccinated with the vaccines of the previous groups that showed a higher effect, and were fed with mesh-feed (control-B1), supplemented with vitamin-C (B2), probiotics (B3), and antibiotic growth promoter (B4). Serum samples were obtained on 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age and were subjected to a hemagglutination inhibition test. The mean antibody titer (Log2) had no significant difference between groups A1-A4. The highest titers were recorded in A4 (6.20±0.37) and A3 (6.00±0.71). The mean titer was significantly different among the groups at 4 weeks, but insignificant in the other weeks of the supplemented groups. A higher mean titer was found between 8 and 10 weeks in group B2 (7.40±0.60) and B3 (7.20±0.58). The relative weights (gm/kg) of the spleen, thymus and bursa were significantly higher in group B3 (1.947±0.109, 5.951±0.312 and 2.624±0.083, respectively). They had no significant correlation with antibody titer at 12 weeks. In conclusion, vitamin-C and probiotic supplemented feeds can boost up the antibody titer against ND in Japanese quail when given during VG/GA strain vaccination.