COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF IMMUNE RESPONSE IN GOATS AND SHEEP AFTER VACCINATION AGAINST CONTAGIOUS AGALACTIA – A FIELD STUDY

The aim of the present study was to detect differences in immune response in sheep and goats after vaccination with a commercial vaccine against contagious agalactia. Serum samples from the two small ruminant species, reared in a mixed flock were collected on the day of vaccination and at post vaccination days 3, 7, 14, 30, 60, 90, 120, 180 and assayed by means of indirect ELISA. It was found out that antibody titre increased rapidly after application of vaccine, attained a maximum between the 7th and 30th day and rapidly declined after the 90th experimental day. Although the titres in sheep were higher than those in goats, no statistically significant difference was present.