Several papers on the microscopical structure and the pigmentation of the feathers of the Budgerigar have already been published. This bird which is so easily bred and which, under selection, has developed a great number of varieties in two or three decades and practically from the beginning under scientific control, is an object of intense interest for the geneticists. Its varieties differ predominantly by their shades of colour. The subjective impression of a colour, however, is not a criterion sufficiently reliable for distinguishing the varieties. Partly for this reason, but chiefly in order to establish the effects of the genetical factors on both structure and pigment, the researchers included the microscopical examination of feathers and feather-germs in their field of work. Nevertheless, further research along these lines has been found desirable, chiefly for two reasons. First, since the publication of the papers referred to a number of new varieties has appeared with shades of colour very different from those known hitherto. These shades suggest that there may be very interesting changes in the structural and pigmentary factors which are responsible for the impression of colour. Secondly, these authors did not undertake a histological investigation of the feathers and feather-germs which could be considered exhaustive from a purely morphological point of view, as they were chiefly concerned with genetical problems. Moreover, these papers reveal differences in the histological interpretation of the examined material.

Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, eine reproduzierbare Methode der Spermagewinnung bei Psittaciformes am Beispiel des Wellensittichs (Melopsittacus undulatus) zu entwickeln. Es sollten spermatologische Referenzwerte für diese Spezies erstellt werden, um eine erste Grundlage für deren Fruchtbarkeitsbeurteilung zu erhalten. Ferner sollten diese spermatologischen Parameter mit der endoskopischen Darstellung der Gonaden verglichen werden, um eine spezifische Beurteilungsmöglichkeit der Hodenaktivität abzuleiten. In den Vorversuchen wurden zunächst zwei verschiedene Methoden der Spermagewinnung am Wellensittich entwickelt. Die Kapillarmethode basiert auf der Entleerung der Samenspeicher (Glomus seminale) mittels einer in die Kloake eingeführten Glaskapillare. Die Massagemethode führt analog ihrer Anwendung beim Nutzgeflügel zu einer Ejakulation der Vögel. Bei beiden Techniken wurde das gewonnene Sperma in einer graduierten Glaskapillare aufgefangen. Im Vergleich der beiden verschiedenen Methoden der Spermagewinnung konnte gezeigt werden, dass hinsichtlich der höheren Spermienkonzentration und geringeren Verunreinigungen durch Erythrozyten und Urate die Massagemethode der Kapillarmethode deutlich überlegen war. Zusätzlich erwies sich die Massagemethode an versuchsfremden Wellensittichen als leicht durchführbar. Aus bereits vorliegenden Erkenntnissen über Psittaciformes konnte abgeleitet werden, dass mit der Massagetechnik innerhalb dieser Ordnung leicht Sperma gewonnen werden kann. In den verschiedenen Hauptversuchen wurde von 41 klinisch gesunden Wellensittichen aus zwei verschiedenen Zuchtformen regelmäßig mittels Massage Sperma gewonnen. Im ersten Teil wurden Proben von 19 Vermehrungszuchtwellensittichen und 10 Schauwellensittichen in zwei verschiedenen Absamintervallen spermatologisch untersucht. Die Farbe und das Volumen konnten direkt in der graduierten Glaskapillare abgelesen werden. Mittels Indikatorpapier wurde der pH-Wert bestimmt. Nach Anfärbung mit Eosin wurde für diese Ordnung erstmalig die Lebend-Tot-Rate der Spermatozoen im Ausstrich ermittelt. Im vorverdünnten Ejakulat wurde die Vorwärtsbeweglichkeit abgeschätzt. Die Dichtebestimmung wurde aus dem vorverdünnten Sperma mittels Kammerzählung bestimmt. Als Hilfswert wurde die Spermiengesamtzahl als das Produkt der Konzentration und dem Volumen berechnet. Im zweiten Hauptversuch wurden die Anteile missgebildeter Spermien nach Eosin-B-Färbung im Ejakulatausstrich von 12 weiteren Vermehrungszuchtwellensittichen bestimmt. Im letzten Versuchsteil wurde anhand der spermatologischen Ergebnisse von 37 Wellensittichen die aktuelle Hodenaktivität bestimmt und mit der endoskopischen Darstellung der Geschlechtsorgane dieser Vögel in Beziehung gesetzt. Insgesamt wiesen in den Hauptversuchsreihen sieben der 41 Vögel eine dauerhafte Azoospermie auf, ein weiterer zeigte eine hochgradige Teratozoospermie. In den erstellten Spermiogrammen des ersten Hauptversuchs wiesen beide Wellensittichrassen im 2-Tages-Absamintervall etwa die gleiche Spermiengesamtzahl auf. In der Verlängerung der Absampause von zwei auf sieben Tage stieg die Spermiengesamtzahl der ursprünglichen Vermehrungs-zuchtwellensittiche deutlicher als die der intensiv gezüchteten Schauwellensittiche. In beiden Versuchsgruppen vergrößerten sich jedoch weder das Volumen noch die Spermienkonzentration proportional zur Länge des Absamintervalls. Damit wurde offensichtlich, dass sich ein kurzes Absamintervall von 2-3 Tagen am ehesten für die Spermienanalyse und künstliche Besamung in der Ordnung der Papageienvögel eignet. Statistisch relevante Unterschiede konnten nicht für den pH-Wert und die Lebend-Tot-Rate bei den Zuchtformen nachgewiesen werden. Im zweiten Hauptversuch wurden die morphologischen Abweichungen der Spermien des Wellensittichs untersucht. Dabei dominierten Veränderungen des Spermienkopfes. Für Ziervögel wurde in den beiden Versuchen erstmalig nachgewiesen, dass die Mauser einen deutlich negativen Effekt auf die Spermaproduktion hat. Nach einem kurzen, aber deutlichen Anstieg zu Mauserbeginn erlosch die Spermienabgabe während der Mauserphase. Ebenfalls konnte in dieser Zeit eine Zunahme der Spermienmissbildungen festgestellt werden. Im Vergleich zwischen der endoskopischer Darstellung mit der Hodenaktivität konnte erstmalig nachgewiesen werden, dass die Form des Samenleiters das wichtigste Kriterium in der endoskopischen Aktivitätsbeurteilung ist, wobei der Samenleiter eines aktiven Hodens eine prallgefüllte, doppeltmäanderförmig geschlängelte Gestalt annimmt. Bestätigt werden konnte, dass aktive Hoden eine weißgraue Farbe aufweisen. Die Spermienproduktion zeigte eine signifikante Korrelation mit der Lage der kaudalen und nicht mit der kranialen Hodengrenze. Statt einer Zunahme konnte erstmalig aufgezeigt werden, dass die Gefäßzeichnung der Hoden eine geringfügige negative Korrelation mit der Aktivität aufweist. Aufgrund der anatomischen und physiologischen Verhältnisse bei anderen Ordnungen der Vögel ist möglicherweise davon auszugehen, dass sich diese Erkenntnisse artübergreifend anwenden lassen. / The aim of this study was to develop a technique of semen collection in Psittaciformes specifically in the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus). In addition the investigation intended to establish sperm data as physiological reference values in order to get a basic understanding for reproductive assessment. These spermdata were then to be compared with the endoscopically determined status of the gonads, to establish a specific frame of reference for activity assessment. In the preliminary investigation two different methods of semen collection in budgerigars were developed and examined. The capillary-technique was based on an insertion of a glass capillary into the cloaca. In the course of this the semen storage (Glomus seminale) was squeezed. The massage-technique led - like in domestic-fowl - to an ejaculation of the birds. A graduated glass capillary was used to collect the released semen in both techniques. With this preliminary investigation it was shown, that semen obtained by massage technique was superior to semen obtained by capillary-technique because of the higher concentration of spermatozoa and the smaller contamination by urates and erythrocytes. In addition the massage technique was also proven on novice and untrained budgerigars. Altogether this study demonstrated that the massage technique can also be used efficiently for semen collection in the order Psittaciformes. In the main investigation the massage-stimulation was applied regularly to a total of 41 clinically healthy budgerigars of two different breeding lines. In a first phase samples were taken from 19 breeding-type budgerigars and 10 exhibition-type birds in two different collection-intervals. Colour and volume were determined directly from the glass-capillary. The pH value was measured with indicator paper. For this order for the first time the alive-dead ratio of the spermatozoa was counted via eosin staining. Forward motility was estimated in prediluted semen. In addition the sperm concentration was determined on prediluted semen via counting chamber. This lead directly to an estimate of the total sperm account. In the second part of the investigation morphologically abnormal spermatozoa of 12 further breeding-type budgerigars were classified via eosin staining and their frequency in percent was determined. In the last part of the investigation the actual testicle-activity based on these spermdata of 37 different budgerigars was compared with the endoscopically determined status of the gonads. Among the 41 budgerigars seven exhibited a permanent azoospermia. A further bird showed a constant teratozoospermia. For the two-day collection interval in the first main trial both breeding lines gave rise to approximately the same total sperm number. In extension from two to seven days collecting-interval total sperm account increased more for breeding-type than for exhibition-type birds. Besides this semen volume and sperm concentration did not increase proportionally with the extension of the interval. Thus a short collection-intervall of 2 or 3 days is most reliable for semen analysis and AI (artificial insemination) within this order. Neither pH or alive-dead ratio showed significantly differences in relation to the breeding-line and to the extension of the collection-interval. In the second part of the main investigation it was demonstrated, that malformation of the head-region dominate among morphological aberrant spermatozoa of this species. Both trials confirmed for the first time for pet-birds that moult reduces semen production significantly. Following a short increase, sperm production ceased during moulting. Additionally a significantly higher number of malformed spermatozoon’s were found. Comparing the testicle activity and status of the gonads endoscopically determined showed for the first time, that the appearance of the deferent duct is the most important criterion in endoscopic evaluation for gonadal activity. The duct of an active testicle appeared in a swollen, double-meander shape. This study also confirmed that active gonads appear whitish grey. For the endoscopic assessment of the testicular activity only the position of the caudal testicular boundary and not the cranial position was a significant criterion. With increasing sperm activity a slightly negatively correlated testicle blood vascularization could be demonstrated instead of an expected proportional increasing. Based on anatomical and physiological resemblances with other orders it is to be expected that results obtained by endoscopy may be applied to other species of birds as well.

Ziel dieser Arbeit war es, eine reproduzierbare Methode der Spermagewinnung bei Psittaciformes am Beispiel des Wellensittichs (Melopsittacus undulatus) zu entwickeln. Es sollten spermatologische Referenzwerte für diese Spezies erstellt werden, um eine erste Grundlage für deren Fruchtbarkeitsbeurteilung zu erhalten. Ferner sollten diese spermatologischen Parameter mit der endoskopischen Darstellung der Gonaden verglichen werden, um eine spezifische Beurteilungsmöglichkeit der Hodenaktivität abzuleiten. In den Vorversuchen wurden zunächst zwei verschiedene Methoden der Spermagewinnung am Wellensittich entwickelt. Die Kapillarmethode basiert auf der Entleerung der Samenspeicher (Glomus seminale) mittels einer in die Kloake eingeführten Glaskapillare. Die Massagemethode führt analog ihrer Anwendung beim Nutzgeflügel zu einer Ejakulation der Vögel. Bei beiden Techniken wurde das gewonnene Sperma in einer graduierten Glaskapillare aufgefangen. Im Vergleich der beiden verschiedenen Methoden der Spermagewinnung konnte gezeigt werden, dass hinsichtlich der höheren Spermienkonzentration und geringeren Verunreinigungen durch Erythrozyten und Urate die Massagemethode der Kapillarmethode deutlich überlegen war. Zusätzlich erwies sich die Massagemethode an versuchsfremden Wellensittichen als leicht durchführbar. Aus bereits vorliegenden Erkenntnissen über Psittaciformes konnte abgeleitet werden, dass mit der Massagetechnik innerhalb dieser Ordnung leicht Sperma gewonnen werden kann. In den verschiedenen Hauptversuchen wurde von 41 klinisch gesunden Wellensittichen aus zwei verschiedenen Zuchtformen regelmäßig mittels Massage Sperma gewonnen. Im ersten Teil wurden Proben von 19 Vermehrungszuchtwellensittichen und 10 Schauwellensittichen in zwei verschiedenen Absamintervallen spermatologisch untersucht. Die Farbe und das Volumen konnten direkt in der graduierten Glaskapillare abgelesen werden. Mittels Indikatorpapier wurde der pH-Wert bestimmt. Nach Anfärbung mit Eosin wurde für diese Ordnung erstmalig die Lebend-Tot-Rate der Spermatozoen im Ausstrich ermittelt. Im vorverdünnten Ejakulat wurde die Vorwärtsbeweglichkeit abgeschätzt. Die Dichtebestimmung wurde aus dem vorverdünnten Sperma mittels Kammerzählung bestimmt. Als Hilfswert wurde die Spermiengesamtzahl als das Produkt der Konzentration und dem Volumen berechnet. Im zweiten Hauptversuch wurden die Anteile missgebildeter Spermien nach Eosin-B-Färbung im Ejakulatausstrich von 12 weiteren Vermehrungszuchtwellensittichen bestimmt. Im letzten Versuchsteil wurde anhand der spermatologischen Ergebnisse von 37 Wellensittichen die aktuelle Hodenaktivität bestimmt und mit der endoskopischen Darstellung der Geschlechtsorgane dieser Vögel in Beziehung gesetzt. Insgesamt wiesen in den Hauptversuchsreihen sieben der 41 Vögel eine dauerhafte Azoospermie auf, ein weiterer zeigte eine hochgradige Teratozoospermie. In den erstellten Spermiogrammen des ersten Hauptversuchs wiesen beide Wellensittichrassen im 2-Tages-Absamintervall etwa die gleiche Spermiengesamtzahl auf. In der Verlängerung der Absampause von zwei auf sieben Tage stieg die Spermiengesamtzahl der ursprünglichen Vermehrungs-zuchtwellensittiche deutlicher als die der intensiv gezüchteten Schauwellensittiche. In beiden Versuchsgruppen vergrößerten sich jedoch weder das Volumen noch die Spermienkonzentration proportional zur Länge des Absamintervalls. Damit wurde offensichtlich, dass sich ein kurzes Absamintervall von 2-3 Tagen am ehesten für die Spermienanalyse und künstliche Besamung in der Ordnung der Papageienvögel eignet. Statistisch relevante Unterschiede konnten nicht für den pH-Wert und die Lebend-Tot-Rate bei den Zuchtformen nachgewiesen werden. Im zweiten Hauptversuch wurden die morphologischen Abweichungen der Spermien des Wellensittichs untersucht. Dabei dominierten Veränderungen des Spermienkopfes. Für Ziervögel wurde in den beiden Versuchen erstmalig nachgewiesen, dass die Mauser einen deutlich negativen Effekt auf die Spermaproduktion hat. Nach einem kurzen, aber deutlichen Anstieg zu Mauserbeginn erlosch die Spermienabgabe während der Mauserphase. Ebenfalls konnte in dieser Zeit eine Zunahme der Spermienmissbildungen festgestellt werden. Im Vergleich zwischen der endoskopischer Darstellung mit der Hodenaktivität konnte erstmalig nachgewiesen werden, dass die Form des Samenleiters das wichtigste Kriterium in der endoskopischen Aktivitätsbeurteilung ist, wobei der Samenleiter eines aktiven Hodens eine prallgefüllte, doppeltmäanderförmig geschlängelte Gestalt annimmt. Bestätigt werden konnte, dass aktive Hoden eine weißgraue Farbe aufweisen. Die Spermienproduktion zeigte eine signifikante Korrelation mit der Lage der kaudalen und nicht mit der kranialen Hodengrenze. Statt einer Zunahme konnte erstmalig aufgezeigt werden, dass die Gefäßzeichnung der Hoden eine geringfügige negative Korrelation mit der Aktivität aufweist. Aufgrund der anatomischen und physiologischen Verhältnisse bei anderen Ordnungen der Vögel ist möglicherweise davon auszugehen, dass sich diese Erkenntnisse artübergreifend anwenden lassen. / The aim of this study was to develop a technique of semen collection in Psittaciformes specifically in the budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus). In addition the investigation intended to establish sperm data as physiological reference values in order to get a basic understanding for reproductive assessment. These spermdata were then to be compared with the endoscopically determined status of the gonads, to establish a specific frame of reference for activity assessment. In the preliminary investigation two different methods of semen collection in budgerigars were developed and examined. The capillary-technique was based on an insertion of a glass capillary into the cloaca. In the course of this the semen storage (Glomus seminale) was squeezed. The massage-technique led - like in domestic-fowl - to an ejaculation of the birds. A graduated glass capillary was used to collect the released semen in both techniques. With this preliminary investigation it was shown, that semen obtained by massage technique was superior to semen obtained by capillary-technique because of the higher concentration of spermatozoa and the smaller contamination by urates and erythrocytes. In addition the massage technique was also proven on novice and untrained budgerigars. Altogether this study demonstrated that the massage technique can also be used efficiently for semen collection in the order Psittaciformes. In the main investigation the massage-stimulation was applied regularly to a total of 41 clinically healthy budgerigars of two different breeding lines. In a first phase samples were taken from 19 breeding-type budgerigars and 10 exhibition-type birds in two different collection-intervals. Colour and volume were determined directly from the glass-capillary. The pH value was measured with indicator paper. For this order for the first time the alive-dead ratio of the spermatozoa was counted via eosin staining. Forward motility was estimated in prediluted semen. In addition the sperm concentration was determined on prediluted semen via counting chamber. This lead directly to an estimate of the total sperm account. In the second part of the investigation morphologically abnormal spermatozoa of 12 further breeding-type budgerigars were classified via eosin staining and their frequency in percent was determined. In the last part of the investigation the actual testicle-activity based on these spermdata of 37 different budgerigars was compared with the endoscopically determined status of the gonads. Among the 41 budgerigars seven exhibited a permanent azoospermia. A further bird showed a constant teratozoospermia. For the two-day collection interval in the first main trial both breeding lines gave rise to approximately the same total sperm number. In extension from two to seven days collecting-interval total sperm account increased more for breeding-type than for exhibition-type birds. Besides this semen volume and sperm concentration did not increase proportionally with the extension of the interval. Thus a short collection-intervall of 2 or 3 days is most reliable for semen analysis and AI (artificial insemination) within this order. Neither pH or alive-dead ratio showed significantly differences in relation to the breeding-line and to the extension of the collection-interval. In the second part of the main investigation it was demonstrated, that malformation of the head-region dominate among morphological aberrant spermatozoa of this species. Both trials confirmed for the first time for pet-birds that moult reduces semen production significantly. Following a short increase, sperm production ceased during moulting. Additionally a significantly higher number of malformed spermatozoon’s were found. Comparing the testicle activity and status of the gonads endoscopically determined showed for the first time, that the appearance of the deferent duct is the most important criterion in endoscopic evaluation for gonadal activity. The duct of an active testicle appeared in a swollen, double-meander shape. This study also confirmed that active gonads appear whitish grey. For the endoscopic assessment of the testicular activity only the position of the caudal testicular boundary and not the cranial position was a significant criterion. With increasing sperm activity a slightly negatively correlated testicle blood vascularization could be demonstrated instead of an expected proportional increasing. Based on anatomical and physiological resemblances with other orders it is to be expected that results obtained by endoscopy may be applied to other species of birds as well.

Many animals are social foragers. Foraging with others may confer a number of advantages, but is also likely to present a number of challenges that are not encountered by solitary foragers. For instance, whilst feeding in a group may interfere with an animal's ability to learn new foraging skills or the location of new foraging patches by itself, it may simultaneously provide it with the opportunity to acquire new skills or knowledge by means of social learning. This thesis addresses a number of questions relating to the interaction between social foraging and social learning using small groups of captive budgerigars, Melopsittacus undulatus, as a test species. In particular, it investigates the spread of novel foraging behaviour through groups of birds under conditions that either permit or restrict a high degree of ‘scrounging' (food stealing) by naïve birds from skilled ‘producers' in their group (Chapter Three). Scrounging is found to inhibit naïve budgerigars' performance of new foraging skills, but appears to facilitate their underlying acquisition, or motivation to acquire these skills, when the need arises – for instance, when producers are lost from their group. In addition, the thesis assesses the importance of a number of different individual-level characteristics, such as age, sex, and competitive rank, in predicting birds' propensity to behave as producers rather than scroungers when foraging in a group (Chapter Four). The thesis also examines budgerigars' relative use of social and personal information when selecting foraging locations (Chapter Five), and assesses the importance of group social networks in predicting individual birds' order and latency to arrive at foraging patches (Chapter Six). Budgerigars are found to rely on social information when they lack any personal information about foraging locations. When equipped with both social information and personal information, some, but not all birds appear still to utilise social information. Birds' social networks appear to have little bearing on individuals' foraging patch visitation times.

Šis darbas yra skirtas banguotųjų papūgėlių veisimosi sistemos, kintant lyčių santykiui grupėje, tyrimams. Tyrimų rezultatai rodo, kad vyraujanti veisimosi sistema banguotųjų papūgėlių grupėje su vienodu lyčių santykiu, grupėje esant patinų trūkumui ir grupėje, kurioje trūksta patelių, yra monogamija. Poligamijos atveju, poliginiški patinai vieną savo patelių – dominantę - maitina geriau negu kitą, nedominuojančią patelę. Kopuliacijos su ne savo poros nariu yra retos. Patelės kopuliuoja su tais patinais, kurie geriausiai jas maitina. Ištirta, kad dominuojančios patelės veisiasi geriau negu nedominuojančios. Agonistinė šios rūšies paukščių elgsena jų veisimosi sistemos tiesiogiai neįtakoja. Monogamija yra vyraujantis banguotųjų papūgėlių veisimosi būdas, kadangi patinų tėviška globa yra labai svarbus veiksnys, įtakojantis patelių veisimosi sėkmę. / The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of sex ratio on the reproductive system of the budgerigars. The main reproductive system in all the groups was monogamy, i.e. in the group of birds with the equal sex ratio, in the group with female-biased sex ratio and in the group with male-biased sex ratio. The polygynous males fed their primary females more often in comparison with secondary females. Extra-pair copulations were rare. The females copulated with those males which fed them the best in the group of polygamous birds. The reproductive success of primary females was higher in comparison to secondary females. The agonistic behaviour was not an immediate factor of the main reproductive system in budgerigars. Monogamy seems to be the optimum mating situation for female of this species, because the paternal investment of the male turns out to be very important to female’s breeding success.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:27:58Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2010-12-09Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T18:32:18Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 denadai_j_me_jabo.pdf: 810265 bytes, checksum: 590ca7255c11f8f0b1c02155b7433db3 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / Foram avaliados parâmetros clínicos, imunitários e epidemiológicos da vacinação contra a Doença de Newcastle em periquitos-australianos (Melopsittacus undulatus) através de dois experimentos. Foram utilizadas amostras vacinais Ulster 2C, B1 e La Sota do VDN. No experimento 1, foram utilizados 72 periquitos australianos com cinco meses de idade, distribuídos em 4 tratamentos de 18 animais cada, num total de três repetições, submetidos a diferentes esquemas imunoprofiláticos. A resposta imune foi avaliada pelo teste de HI, com posterior desafio frente a estirpe patogênica do VDN, aos 11 meses de vida das aves. Em todos os grupos, coletou-se suabes cloacais para pesquisa de RNA viral através da reação de cadeia de polimerase pós Transcrição Reversa (RT-PCR). Independente do grupo experimental, sinais clínicos da reação vacinal não foram observados. Os resultados dos títulos de anticorpos (HI) mostraram que os programas imunoprofiláticos ensaiados foram igualmente eficientes no estímulo da resposta imune humoral. Os periquitos-australianos desafiados mostraram-se refratários à enfermidade clínica com o VDN. Entretanto, ficou caracterizado o estado de portador de VDN nesta espécie decorridos até 19 dias da infecção experimental com este patógeno. No experimento 2, foram utilizadas aves SPF conviventes com periquitos-australianos inoculados com uma estirpe patogênica do VDN. Observou-se a transmissão de vírus patogênico (VDN) dos periquitos-australianos para as aves SPF conviventes decorridos até 19 dias da infecção experimental com este patógeno, o que vem realçar a importância do periquito-australiano como fonte potencial de infecção de VDN para aves domésticas / The clinical, epidemiological, immunological and parameters of vaccination against Newcastle disease in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) were investigated using 2 experiments. Ulster 2C, B1 and LaSota vaccines strains of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were used. In experiment 1, 72 budgerigars were used, and divided into 4 different groups with 18 birds per group. They were submitted to different vaccination programs. The immunological responses in these birds were measured by HI test. These birds were also challenged with a pathogenic VDN strain at 11 months of age. In all the groups, cloacal swabs were collected for RT-PCR. Independent of the group, clinical signs of reaction to the vaccine were not observed. The antibody titers (HI) results showed that the immune vaccine programs adopted were equally efficient in stimulating protective levels of humoral immune responses. Challenged budgerigars were refractory to the NDV clinical disease. However, a NDV carrier state was shown in this species until 19 days after experimental infection. In experiment 2, SPF chickens were housed with budgerigars which were previously inoculated with a pathogenic NDV strain. Therefore, the pathogenic virus (NDV) was transmitted from the budgerigars to SPF birds up to 19 days after challenge, showing the importance of the budgerigars as source of dissemination of NDV to domestic birds

Orientador: Antonio Carlos Paulillo / Banca: Elizabeth Moreira dos Santos Schmidt / Banca: Adriano de Oliveira Torres Carrasco / Resumo: Foram avaliados parâmetros clínicos, imunitários e epidemiológicos da vacinação contra a Doença de Newcastle em periquitos-australianos (Melopsittacus undulatus) através de dois experimentos. Foram utilizadas amostras vacinais Ulster 2C, B1 e La Sota do VDN. No experimento 1, foram utilizados 72 periquitos australianos com cinco meses de idade, distribuídos em 4 tratamentos de 18 animais cada, num total de três repetições, submetidos a diferentes esquemas imunoprofiláticos. A resposta imune foi avaliada pelo teste de HI, com posterior desafio frente a estirpe patogênica do VDN, aos 11 meses de vida das aves. Em todos os grupos, coletou-se suabes cloacais para pesquisa de RNA viral através da reação de cadeia de polimerase pós Transcrição Reversa (RT-PCR). Independente do grupo experimental, sinais clínicos da reação vacinal não foram observados. Os resultados dos títulos de anticorpos (HI) mostraram que os programas imunoprofiláticos ensaiados foram igualmente eficientes no estímulo da resposta imune humoral. Os periquitos-australianos desafiados mostraram-se refratários à enfermidade clínica com o VDN. Entretanto, ficou caracterizado o estado de portador de VDN nesta espécie decorridos até 19 dias da infecção experimental com este patógeno. No experimento 2, foram utilizadas aves SPF conviventes com periquitos-australianos inoculados com uma estirpe patogênica do VDN. Observou-se a transmissão de vírus patogênico (VDN) dos periquitos-australianos para as aves SPF conviventes decorridos até 19 dias da infecção experimental com este patógeno, o que vem realçar a importância do periquito-australiano como fonte potencial de infecção de VDN para aves domésticas / Abstract: The clinical, epidemiological, immunological and parameters of vaccination against Newcastle disease in budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) were investigated using 2 experiments. Ulster 2C, B1 and LaSota vaccines strains of the Newcastle disease virus (NDV) were used. In experiment 1, 72 budgerigars were used, and divided into 4 different groups with 18 birds per group. They were submitted to different vaccination programs. The immunological responses in these birds were measured by HI test. These birds were also challenged with a pathogenic VDN strain at 11 months of age. In all the groups, cloacal swabs were collected for RT-PCR. Independent of the group, clinical signs of reaction to the vaccine were not observed. The antibody titers (HI) results showed that the immune vaccine programs adopted were equally efficient in stimulating protective levels of humoral immune responses. Challenged budgerigars were refractory to the NDV clinical disease. However, a NDV carrier state was shown in this species until 19 days after experimental infection. In experiment 2, SPF chickens were housed with budgerigars which were previously inoculated with a pathogenic NDV strain. Therefore, the pathogenic virus (NDV) was transmitted from the budgerigars to SPF birds up to 19 days after challenge, showing the importance of the budgerigars as source of dissemination of NDV to domestic birds / Mestre