Immunological responsiveness of the pigeon (Columba livia) following neonatal bursectomy.

Pigeon squabs in two separate experiments were surgically bursectomized ( BSX ), surgically sham bursectomized ( SBSX ), or maintained as non-surgical controls (CON). Surgical procedures were performed within 2 hr of hatching. Primary and secondary hemagglutinin (HA) responses, as well as mercaptoethanol sensitive (ME-S) and resistant (ME-R) levels, to sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were quantitated. BSX did not reduce HA responses, nor ME-S and ME-R levels.