SHORT COMMUNICATIONS

M. Arshad, M. Siddique, M. Ashraf and H. A. Khan

Department of Veterinary Microbiology, University of Agriculture, Fasialabad, Pakistan

Abstract

    A total of 200 chicks were raised upto 43 days of age under controlled experimental conditions. The birds were randomly divided into four groups A, B, C and D of 50 birds each at the age of day one. Birds of groups A and B were not supplemented with selenium, while those of groups C and D were given selenium @ 0.06 mg/Kg of feed from day one to day 43. The birds of groups B and D were vaccinated against infectious bursal disease (IBD) at the age of day 10 and boosted at the age of day 25. The effect of selenium on humoral immune response was evaluated by recording weekly serum antibody titres against IBD through indirect haemagglutination (IHA) test. The cumulative mean titres (CMT) recorded in groups A, B, C and D were 15, 53, 16 and 61, respectively (P<0.05). These results indicate that selenium supplementation may help to increase post vaccination humoral immune response against IBD in broiler chicks. 

Key words: Infectious bursal disease, selenium, antibody titre, broilers.