Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption
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Bodger
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Mareks.I like the Katie Thear books and recently bought a copy of her ' Free Range Poultry' which I found well worth getting but I did notice a mistake in the poultry diseases and ailment section.
When it came to Mareks disease, she stated that this disease is egg born. This is definately not the case and its goes to show that you can't always take what the experts say as gospel.
Mareks is a virus that is spread in the dust and dander of the chicken shed.
Years ago, scientists discovered that turkeys are immune to Mareks. The reason for this, is that the turkey harbours a virus that blocks the virus from entering the birds cells.
When you vaccinate your chicken chicks as day olds, you are actually injecting them with this turkey virus. There isn't a cure for Mareks but as long as you vaccinate at a very early age you'r actually preventing the birds from getting Mareks but once a bird has contracted it, there isn't a cure. Infact, there isn't a cure for any virus. This is why if you don't innoculate them as day olds, then you've missed your chance.
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LynneA
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According to the Royal Vetinary College when they pm'd our Light Sussex, Marek's vaccine is 95% effective.
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kirstyfern
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I suppose if the shell of the egg is contaminated then this could be a cause of infection.....
And we have had vacccinated birds get it as well. Very ocassionally, the leghorns and cream legbars seem more susceptible.
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Bodger
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I suppose if the shell of the egg is contaminated then this could be a cause of infection.....
And we have had vacccinated birds get it as well. Very ocassionally, the leghorns and cream legbars seem more susceptible. |
Nope. Not according to this and other literature that I've read.
http://www.addl.purdue.edu/newsletters/2005/spring/mareks.htm
This is the pertinent passage from the link.
Transmission: MDV can be transmitted by direct and indirect contact between birds. Transmission is primarily by airborne route as the virus is shed in epithelial cells of the feather follicle, dander, chicken house dust, feces and saliva. The virus has a long survival time in dander since viable virus has been isolated from houses that have been depopulated for many months. (Historically, prior to vaccine availability, control in broilers was based upon early brooding exposure to used broiler litter and dander, marketing survivors versus poorer results with the thoroughly cleaned and disinfected brooder houses). Transmission by egg has no significance (i.e., chicken hatched and reared in isolation will be free of MDV.
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