Oral vaccination of chickens with the V4 strain of Newcastle disease virus. Cooked and raw white rice as a vehicle.

Uncooked white rice and cooked white rice were tested as vehicles for the V4 strain of oral Newcastle disease vaccine. The results of feeding experiments were evaluated by the measurement of haemagglutination inhibition antibodies against Newcastle disease virus. Little of the virus applied to uncooked white rice could be recovered, even immediately after mixing, whereas when the virus was applied to cooked white rice most of it could be recovered. In 4 separate experiments, chickens failed to respond serologically to vaccine supplied on uncooked white rice. In all of 4 experiments with cooked white rice, there were serological responses in vaccinated chickens, from 45% to 100% of the chickens developing titres sufficiently high to indicate protection against challenge with virulent virus. Development of haemagglutination inhibition antibodies in some control chickens indicated the ability of the vaccine virus for lateral spread or persistence in the environment.