Table 4 Grouping and experimental design
Group | G1 | G2 | G3 | G4 | G5 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Control | Ch | S + Ch | VAC + Ch | VAC + S + Ch | ||
Number of quails | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | 30 | |
Vaccination (AIV H9N2) | 49 days of age | – | – | – | + | + |
Vitamin C (1 g/liter of drinking water) | daily for 5 weeks PV | – | – | + | – | + |
Arabic gum (1% ration) | – | – | + | – | + | |
Sampling | 1st week PV | • Initial BW at 0 week PV • Serum (n = 6) for HI • Egg production %, egg weight and egg shell weight • Leukogram, phagocytic activity and phagocytic index (n = 6) • Serum biochemical parameters. | ||||
2nd week PV | ||||||
3rd week PV | Â | |||||
AIV H9N2 challenge (n = 30) | 3rd week PV | – | + | + | + | + |
Sampling | 1st week PC | • Final BW and BWG at 5 weeks PV (2 weeks PC) • Serum (n = 6) for HI • Clinical signs, mortality %, and post-mortem lesions • Median clinical signs scores (CSS) at 2, 5, 9 and 14 days PC • Egg production %, egg weight and egg shell weight. • Leukogram, phagocytic activity and phagocytic index (n = 6) • Serum biochemical parameters • AIV H9N2 tracheal swabs (n = 6) shedding rates at 2, 5 and 9 days PC. • Lungs (n = 6) for histopathology at 1st week PC. | ||||
2nd week PC | ||||||