IMMUNITY ENHANCEMENT IN LASOTA VACCINATED LAHORE PIGEONS USING ANDROGRAPHIS PANICULATA POWDER

Evaluation of differential cell counts and Newcastle Disease (NCD) antibody levels after LaSota vaccination of Lahore pigeons maintained with 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 mg doses of Andrographis powder along with normal feed was conducted in the animal house. Andrographis powder was given to pigeons by hand feeding regularly once in a week and the birds were immunized with LaSota vaccine in the ocular route one week before the beginning of the experiment. HI titre, ELISA titre, RBC, WBC, haemoglobin, heterophils, basophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes and monocytes were estimated from the blood samples taken from the birds on the 50th day of experiment. This herbal powder had increased the HI titre, ELISA titre, WBC, heterophils, basophils, lymphocytes and monocytes that give immediate protection against NCD and reduced the level of eosinophils compared to control. This study confirms that Andrographis powder has enhanced the cell mediated immunity as well as humoral immunity of LaSota vaccinated pigeons, and recommends the use of 100-200 mg of this herbal powder once in a week for vaccinated pigeons to improve their overall health and immunity for giving complete protection against Newcastle diseas