Abstract:
In the growing poultry industry, pigeon farming is an important agribusiness in
Bangladesh. According to most pigeon owners, common health issues in pigeons
include pigeon pox, Newcastle disease, salmonellosis, and the common cold. An
experiment was conducted to estimate the impact of different combinations of vitamins
and Selenium (Se) on the production performance and immune response against the
Newcastle disease vaccine. A total of 16 pair of Gola pigeon (3 months old) were
randomly assigned to 4 treatment groups namely; T0 (Control), T1 (Basal diet +
Vitamin A, D, E & Se), T2 (Basal diet + Vitamin B-complex), and T3 (Basal diet +
Vitamin A, D, E, B-complex & Se) having 4 replications. The treatment groups (T1, T2
and T3) were vaccinated with the Ranikhet disease vaccine and the control group was
kept unvaccinated. Performance indices indicated non-significant (P>0.05) differences
in final live weight, live weight gain and feed consumption. Statistical analysis revealed
non-significant (P>0.05) differences in egg weight values. However, significant
(P<0.05) differences were found for egg production, shape index and hatchability in the
T1 (23.75), T3 (76.29) and T2 + T3 (87.50) groups respectively. The hemagglutination
inhibition titers of the experimental birds were significantly (P<0.05) different and
higher individual titer was found in the vitamin A, D, E and Se supplemented T1 group
(272). The thymus length and width were the best in group T1, 12.75 and 4.25
respectively with a significant (P<0.05) difference. From the study, it can be concluded
that supplementation of vitamin A, D, E and Se combination gave a better humoral
immune response against Newcastle disease vaccine, egg production, thymus length
and width; supplementation of vitamin B-complex separate supplementation gave only
a better response to egg hatchability, and supplementation of vitamin A, D, E, Bcomplex,
and Se combination gave better performances in egg shape index and
hatchability.
Description:
A Thesis
Submitted to the Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine,
Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207 in Partial
Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of
MASTER OF SCIENCE (MS) IN POULTRY SCIENCE
