sample collection and sample processing

- Ages for Sampling

- Routine monitoring for antibody titer in laying house, the first blood collection should be 10 to 12 weeks of age. By this age, a pullet flock has an opportunity to respond to early live vaccinations and maternal antibodies are absent.

-Antibody titers from this age group can be used to assess the overall immune status of a young flock and priming effect of live vaccines used in vaccination programs. This early serology assessment can screen for potential disease challenge in the grow house.

-Another important time for antibody titer evaluation is immediately prior to transfer of the pullet flock to the laying house. This is a good time to check the pullet’s immune response against (Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG), Mycoplasma synoviae (MS), Newcastle disease (NDV), infectious bronchitis (IB), avian encephalomyelitis (AE), and avian influenza (AI).

Routine monitoring for antibody titer in breeders house, transfer is also an ideal time to assess adequate sero-conversion for chicken anemia virus (CAV) and avian encephalomyelitis (AE). Collecting serum before transfer establishes a baseline titer level for a flock moved to a multi-age complex.

-  Titer response from inactivated (killed) vaccines will peak at 3 to 5 weeks post-vaccination. When monitoring flocks during the egg production period, a 10 to 12 week interval is sufficient to monitor changes in antibody titer levels.

- Blood Sample With proper collection and handling technique, 2.0 to 3.0 milliliters (mL or cc) of whole blood will yield 1.0 to 1.5 mL of serum. This volume of serum is sufficient for routine for the following testing:

NB: Sufficient serum should be kept frozen in reserve, in case additional testing is required in the future.