COMPARISON OF IMMUNITY AND RESISTANCE TO DISEASES IN MALE AND FEMALE POULTRY BREEDERS IN LEBANON

The immune responses following vaccination and resistance to diseases were compared in male and female meat poultry breeders of the same flo ck. Female poultry breeders maintained antibody titres to Newcastle di sease virus and infectious bronchitis virus up to the fifty-fifth day following vaccination, whereas those of the males declined significant ly over the same period of time (P < 0.05). In the same flock, outbrea ks of Gumboro disease (60 to 62 days of age), coccidiosis (68 to 74 da ys of age) and aortic rupture (99 to 112 days of age) produced signifi cantly higher losses in males. Following vaccination against fowl pox by the wing web method, 96.7% of females had a vaccine reaction (vacci ne take) compared to none of the males. Immune injuries, following vac cination, were observed in 85% of the males compared to none of the fe males. The immune injuries included appearance of facial papules, vesi cles, and reddish brown to black scabs.