Efficacy of Experimental Inactivated Mycoplasma gallisepticum Oil-Emulsion Bacterin in Egg-Layer Chickens

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Abstract
Six groups of white leghorn pullets were studied to determine the ability of .beta.--propiolactone-inactivated M. gallisepticum (MG) oil-emulsion bacterins to counteract reductions in egg production caused by MG infection. The pullets were inoculated with 0.5 ml of MG bacterin s.c. in the neck at about 20 wk of age and were challenged with MG near 28 wk of age, when they were in peak egg production. Various challenge schemes with infectious bronchitis virus were used at the time of MG challenge to increase the reduction in egg production. MG bacterins afforded protection against moderate drops in egg production in at least 3 of the studies, where the unvaccinated challenged control hens exhibited reduced egg production.