Poultry Vaccination via Drinking Water (Gumboro, Newcastle, etc.)

Drinking water vaccination in poultry breeding is the safest, easiest and quickest way to administer vaccines with low manpower requirements and low risk of contamination by operators or equipment.

However, it requires compliance with certain rules (best practices) to ensure the effectiveness of the vaccine without altering its titer. Some of the vaccines* administered via drinking water are : Gumboro - Newcastle - Infectious Bronchitis booster - Infectious Rhinotracheitis - Avian Encephalomielitis - Infectious Anaemia - Salmonella.

*Always respect your veterinary prescription and local legislation regarding authorized veterinary medicines and vaccines.

Advantages of Dosatron Technology*

Dosatron proportional dosing pumps guarantee the correct vaccine solution dosage, regardless of the permanent variations in water pressure andwater flow rate (due to animal random drinking behavior).

Dosatron pumps are non-electric, self-priming, work with gravity pressure (header tanks) and ensure that the vaccine is added to your animals’ drinking water in the best possible conditions.

Dosatron Units guarantee that the mixture of water and vaccine stays consistent and uniform. This is due to the high-quality dynamic mixing in the pump motor (The Dosatron D25ALN range, for example, offers excellent in-line dosing homogeneity). This ensures that animals have equal access to the right amount of vaccine at all times, as the vaccine solution is distributed evenly across the drinkers

Bearing in mind that :

• the poultry vaccination last only around 2 hours.
• a broiler spends only about 3% of its time drinking.
• the number of visits & the time spent at the drinker also vary.

The dosing percentage of the pump is easy to read and to adjust. They can be run empty (without additives) without risk of damage or interrupting the water supply to the animals. They are quick and easy to maintain.

We work closely with partners from all over the world to hold regular seminars and develop specialised tools (videos and training materials on vaccination techniques).

*Dosatron performance in accordance with the European Medicine Agency's 2020 recommendations (EMA/CVMP/508559/2019 - Committee for Medicinal Products for Veterinary Use - ANNEX II).

Recommended Installation for Poultry Vaccination via Drinking Water

1. Dosatron Animal Health dosing pump DIAL4AL or D25ALN (a high dosing percentage of up to 4% or 5% is recommended to reduce vaccine doses lost at the end of the reservoir > a higher dosing percentage = greater vaccine dilution).
2. 80-micron filter.
3. Water meter.
4. Pressure reducer.
5. Bypass valves.
6. 2 Valves or taps (1 before the Dosatron for tank filling / cleaning and 1 after Dosatron for fast priming / flushing / testing)
7. Plastic dilution tank used only for vaccination (different from the multi-purpose dilution tank with stirrer for medication, supplementation, acidification, etc.).

Tips for Installing, Using & Maintaining your Dosatron

• Install an 80-micron filter before the dosing pump (option for vaccinations : use an activated carbon filter to stop biocides and poltutants thus protecting the vaccine stability).
• Install an accurate low-flow water meter (Class C - R500) to monitor your water consumption.
• If installed on a drinking water main line, the installation shall comply with the applicable disconnection standards (back-flow prevention system such as Class B disconnectors).
• Install the Dosatron in bypass on the water supply with 2 valves before and after the Dosatron.
  • 1 valve for clear water,
  • 1 valve for quick rinsing / priming / testing of the dosing pump.
• Use a graduated tank designed to limit residues at the end of vaccination (tank for vaccinations only).
• Always rinse the tank and let the Dosatron inject clean water after each vaccination.
• Use a graduated tank designed to limit residues at the end of vaccination (tank for vaccinations only).
• A high dosing percentage (3% or more) will increase the dilution rate of the vaccine thus limiting waste at the end of the vaccination cycle.
• Make sure that your drinkers are correctly adjusted (in terms of pressure / flow rate) and do the sanitation of your drinking water system during depopulation (empty barn).
• Test your water twice a year (winter / summer or dry season / rainy season)
  > Physico-chemical test (at the source) and bacteriological test (at the end of the water line).
• Remember to change the dosing pump dosing seals at least once a year.
• Follow the rules on stopping and / or inhibiting biocides used for water disinfection to protect your vaccinations.

Recommended Dosing Pumps for this Application