Vol. 8, Issue 2 (2019)

Author(s):
Pravesh Kumari, Pooja Kundu, Sushma Kajal, G Narang, Vikas Nehra and Deepika Lather

Abstract:
Infectious bursal disease (IBD) commonly known as Gumboro disease is a disease of global economic importance; manifested by inflammation and subsequent atrophy of the bursa of Fabricius and various degrees of immunosuppression. Various vaccination strategies have been applied in the field to control IBD. Live commercially available hot strains of vaccines for IBD lead to varying levels of immunosuppression which increases the bird’s vulnerability to various infections. The present study was conducted to observe the effect of Spirulina feeding on biochemical parameters of Infectious bursal disease vaccinated broiler chickens. One hundred and two day old chickens were reared up to 38 day of age. At the age of 10 days, chickens were divided randomly into four groups (groups A (33), B (27), C (21) and D (21) having different number of chickens. From 10 to 20 days, feed of all the chickens of group B and D was supplemented with probiotic Spirulina at the dose rate of 1.0% of feed (i.e. 1.0 g/ 100 gm of feed) whereas all chickens of group A and C were given feed without Spirulina supplementation. All the chickens of group C and D were vaccinated with IBDV intermediate plus strain vaccine at the age of 17 days whereas no vaccine was given to the chickens of groups A, and B. There was significantly lower activity of serum aspartate transaminase (AST) in Spirulina fed group however significantly higher activity was observed in IBD vaccinated alone group indicating that Spirulina acted as hepatoprotective agent. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) activity was also lower in Spirulina supplemented groups. ALT activity was significantly higher in IBDV vaccinated group. Serum creatinine concentration was significantly higher in the vaccinated groups but it was more pronounced in IBD vaccinated group chickens without Spirulina. Similarly blood urea nitrogen (BUN) concentration in both the vaccinated groups chickens was higher, but more pronounced in IBD vaccinated alone group. Spirulina feeding reduced the activity of Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) in IBD vaccinated chickens. On the basis of finding of present study it may be concluded that IBDV vaccination effect can be reduced by supplementation of Spirulina at 1.0 percent level in feed from 10 to 20 days of age along with IBD vaccine.