title: [Investigation of the practical use of a vaccination device ("Pullet Vaccinator") for young layers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the safety of layer vaccination of the vaccination device "Pullet Vaccinator", its publicised increased operational safety and the practicality of the device using serological monitoring of the vaccination success.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a first trial, two veterinarians experienced in the syringe method vaccinated hens using the syringe and the vaccination device, respectively. After 1 hour, the equipment was switched and both veterinarians continued to vaccinate for a further hour. The second trial proceeded as in the first trial, except with untrained persons. For each of the four vaccination groups (experienced/syringe; experienced/device; untrained/syringe; untrained/device), the number of vaccinated hens was counted and 20 hens were dissected from each group to compare the impact of both inoculation methods on the animals. To monitor vaccination success, blood was collected for serological screening. On the final blood collection day, further hens per group were dissected to evaluate possible long-term injuries.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The vaccination device offers greater occupational safety compared to the syringe method. Vaccination injuries to the hens' breast muscles were more pronounced with the syringe application. For experienced persons, the number of vaccinated animals per hour was approximately doubled using the syringe compared to the device. For the untrained, a comparable number of vaccinated animals was recorded for both methods. Serological monitoring did not show any significant differences in antibody response to the vaccination between both methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In certain points, the device proved technically imperfect and should be revised for improved use in the field.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sommer
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Redmann
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rademacher
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Schormann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zahn
authors.affiliation: Prof. Dr. Michael Lierz, Klinik für Vögel, Reptilien, Amphibien und Fische der Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Frankfurter Straße 91-93, 35392 Gießen, E-Mail: michael.lierz@vetmed.uni-giessen.de.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Lierz
mesh_terms: D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D002645:Chickens; D005260:Female; D016272:Occupational Health; D011201:Poultry Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014611:Vaccination / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000662:veterinary*
keywords: Poultry vaccination; animal welfare; layers; occupational safety