When breeding pigeons, great attention must be paid to their health, because if one individual gets sick, then there is a big risk that other birds will become infected. Newcastle disease is the most common among pigeons, and the La Sota vaccine can be used to prevent it. What kind of drug is it and how is it used, find out further.
What is this drug?
The drug "La Sota" is used exclusively by pigeon farmers to prevent Newcastle disease, which affects the respiratory, digestive and nervous systems of the bird. The disease is manifested by the following symptoms:
- high fever;
- loss of orientation;
- enlarged goiter;
- discharge of an unpleasant odor from the oral cavity;
- refusal of food;
- liquid droppings with mucus, blood or bile.
In more severe cases, the disease can lead to paralysis, open-beaked breathing, arrested poultry development, and decreased ability to carry eggs.
So, in order to prevent infection with such a dangerous disease, it is necessary to introduce the La Sota vaccine, since it maintains the pigeons' body's resistance to the virus, and vaccination is carried out not once, but on a regular basis. The fact is that a week after the initial intake, the drug will act for several months. If infection of the bird has already occurred, then another drug will be required for treatment.
The vaccine is launched on the market by both imported and domestic manufacturers. Today you can find the drug from three leading companies at once:
- AviNova ND LASOTA (Germany);
- AVIVAK-NB (Russia);
- La Sota (Russia Federal State Institution "ARRIAH").
Indications for use
The instructions for use do not indicate that the described preparation is suitable only for pigeons, therefore there is no difference between species differences in birds. The vaccine can be used both in dysfunctional and in prosperous farms.
Only healthy birds are vaccinated, while the required dose for each individual is selected individually depending on parameters such as age and weight. After 2 weeks from the moment of vaccination, immunity is developed in the body of birds, which protects them from infection for 3 months.
In order for the drug to really work, it is important not to use any other medicines 5 days before vaccination, even with the aim of preventing other diseases. This also should not be done for 5 days after the procedure.
In large farms, where there are high-value breeds of pigeons, after vaccination, it is necessary to conduct laboratory tests of poultry blood for immunity. If the results showed a low level of antibodies, then vaccination should be carried out again.
Release Forms
The described vaccine is available in glass ampoules or in vials from 0.5 to 4 cubic meters. see. The volume of one ampoule may vary depending on the manufacturer, but markings must be printed on the packaging with the substance. It indicates the following data:
- name of the drug;
- production date;
- number of doses;
- series number;
- control number.
One pack consists of 10 ampoules, which are designed for 100 doses. The drug can be sold both in dry and in liquid form. The dry version of the drug is light pink, yellow or brown tablets, which dissolve in water. The liquid vaccine is in glass jars with rubber caps and hermetically sealed aluminum caps; it has neither color nor smell.
The composition of the drug
The vaccine in its composition contains strains of Newcastle disease, which were obtained on chicken SPF embryos (SPF, Specific Pathogen Free, - devoid of specific pathogenic compounds).
Additional components are contained in the vaccine only if it is presented in a dry form and must be dissolved in water. As auxiliary elements are:
- lactalbumin hydrolyzate;
- skim milk.
Instructions for use
Pigeon growers use the described drug in two ways - intranasal and enteral. When choosing a specific method, it is worth starting from the parameter how many birds need vaccination. The fact is that a large flock is physically difficult to vaccinate intranasally. What is each of the methods, consider separately.
Intranasal
In this case, the drug is administered through the nasal cavity of the bird. The vaccine must be diluted before use. Instructions for use are as follows:
- Dilute La Sota powder in 0.1 ml of sodium chloride solution.
- Pipette 2 drops of the resulting solution into one nostril using a pipette. It is not necessary to drip anything into the second nostril.
During vaccination, it is worth closing the second nostril with your finger, otherwise the drug will not pass through the nasopharynx and will not be absorbed, but will flow back through it.
This procedure must be repeated after one decade, since it gives only temporary immunity to the disease, which disappears with the action of the drug. It is important to note that you can not use a syringe for instillation, but only a medical pipette, otherwise there is a risk of damage to the nasopharynx of the bird.
Enteral
This method is better for those who contain a large number of individuals. In this case, the drug is diluted in water and poured into a drinker instead of a regular drink. To check and make sure that the birds received the medicine, you need to remove all drinking bowls with water from the dovecote in the evening. So, in the morning they will be thirsty and drink the drug.
Each individual should receive 1 ml of the vaccine, so when diluting the medicine with water, you need to calculate the total number of individuals. It is necessary to breed a vaccine in such volume of water which one bird drinks in 4 hours. You can not take a small amount of water (less than 300 ml), otherwise some individuals may receive too large a dose of the medicine, and this will negatively affect their health.
After the procedure, you need to rinse the drinker well and make sure that there is no residue from the drug. If it remains, then it must be disposed of, and the drinker should be disinfected.
After vaccination with any of the above methods, birds should not be fed for an hour and a half.
Aerosol spray
For the purpose of vaccination, you can also treat the dovecot with the drug "La Sota". Pigeon growers do not use this method often, since it is important to observe personal safety as well. It is important that during the procedure the pigeonberry is completely sealed, otherwise the procedure will be less effective.
The spraying procedure is carried out in the following order:
- Take 3 glass containers of the drug and dilute in water. You need to use the amount of vaccine that matches the area of the house. You can calculate the dosage according to this formula - 1 cubic meter. see vaccines per 1 square. m room. When choosing a dosage, it is also important to take into account the age of the bird and weight. To determine the total weight of individuals, you need to weigh each individual bird separately, summarize the result. Divide the result by the total number of individuals.
- Spray the reconstituted vaccine with an aerosol throughout the space of the dovecote. Spray at least 5 minutes.
- After spraying, thoroughly rinse all drinking bowls and feeders without using any additional means.
It is important to observe personal safety:
- wear special protective clothing, a hat, a respiratory mask and eye protection goggles during spraying;
- Do not enter the house for at least 10 minutes after spraying the vaccine.
Contraindications and adverse reactions
The described vaccine cannot be used with the following contraindications:
- progressive disease of any type;
- weak immunity or the recovery period of a bird after an illness;
- treatment with antibiotics, nitrofuran or sulfonamide drugs.
Adverse reactions in adults are not observed, since they tolerate vaccination well. In young individuals, the following side effects can be observed:
- dyspnea;
- poor appetite;
- general malaise.
Adverse reactions among young individuals are due to the fact that their body is weaker than in adult birds, and less resistant to external interference.
Terms and conditions of storage
The vaccine contains a live virus, so the drug requires special storage conditions. So, it needs to be kept in a dry and dark place where the temperature will stably be in the range from 4 to 8 degrees Celsius.
Proper temperature conditions are the most important condition for storing La Sota. Accordingly, you can not buy the drug in pharmacies that can not provide such a temperature regime during transportation and storage of the drug before its sale. This question should always be negotiated with the seller, otherwise there is a risk of buying damaged goods and harming the health of birds.
Subject to proper storage, the drug remains suitable for use for one year from the date of manufacture. However, you cannot use the vaccine if it has stood open for more than 4 hours.
Pigeon Tips
In the instructions for use of the drug there is no clear indication of how to process the birds, so practical recommendations from experienced pigeon farmers will be useful:
- Young birds are best vaccinated from a very young age. The best period for this is 15 days after birth.
- Young individuals need to be vaccinated only by administering the drug through the nostril.
- If the pigeons did not drink the entire solution within 4 hours with the enteral vaccination method, then the procedure should be repeated the next day using the same doses.
- Revaccinate the birds every three months.
Before giving the drug to the bird, you must always consult a veterinarian. This is necessary in order to ensure the complete absence of diseases in pigeons.
The La Sota vaccine has established itself as a tool for the prevention of Newcastle disease, so this procedure should not be neglected. This is the only way to preserve the health of all birds in the nursery, as well as prevent their death. It should be remembered that vaccination should be provoked every 3 months.