Attachment_A-_SPF_Chicken_Eggs_Specifications.docx

Specifications for Animal Products Specific Pathogen Free (SPF) Embryonating Chicken Eggs

Scope of Work:

The embryonating chicken eggs must meet the following guidelines:

· The embryos must be shown to meet industry standards for specific pathogen free (SPF) embryos. These guidelines will include routine (weekly) surveillance of the laying hens for the presence of antibody to the avian pathogens listed in table 1.

· Fertilized chicken eggs (standing weekly order) should be delivered to NVSL at 0 day embryonation and be able to survive storage at 19 C for up to I week.

· Embryos, upon receipt, must have a 85% fertility rate - 85% of the embryos will be fertile and support the growth of a chicken embryo with 9 days of incubation at 99.5-100° F land 60% humidity

· Hatch rate of > 90% ( chicks will hatch from 90% of the embryos shown to be fertile at entry in the hatcher)

· Premium eggs will meet industry standards for premium eggs and research eggs will meet industry standards for research eggs.

· The eggs will be flock specific (embryo source will be from a single flock for the lay period of the flock)

· Acceptable shell quality

The supplier must be able to supply to meet the following guidelines:

· Eggs should be collected at the laying site a minimum of 5 times daily

· Eggs must be sanitized at the production. sites

· Eggs must be stored in an environmentally controlled holding room at 55° - 70° F prior to shipping

· Breed off laying hens must be White Leghorn

· Eggs produced in a filtered-air-positive-pressure (FAPP) poultry house

· Producer will adhere to strict biosecurity measures -as outlined by industry standards

· NVSL will receive financial reimbursement for unfertile embryos when the fertility rate drops below 85%.

· Must comply with USDA memo 800.65

· The weekly standing order of O day eggs must be received at NVSL on Tues. of each week. In the event FedEx, or other reliable carrier, does not ship on a Monday, the standing order of eggs will be shipped on Tues. for Wed. receipt.

· The entire standing order of O day embryos must derive from a single flock source and cannot be filled with embryos from multiple flocks.

· Supplier must have the capability to supply 7000 fertile 0 day eggs per week. With prior notification and depending on egg availability.

· Special orders must be available from supplier.

· Embryos must be packaged during shipment to prevent breakage. Quality Control Check for SPF chicken embryos (to be done by NVSL) A quality control check will be conducted at the NVSL to determine the susceptibility and robustness of the embryo. Selected reference viruses will be inoculated into the embryos by the allantoic (AR), yolk sac (YS), and chorioallantoic sac (CAM) routes according to standard NVSL virus propagation procedures. The quality control check as described will be conducted over a three month period.

A quality control check will need to be conducted to determine if the embryos will support the growth of the following avian viral pathogens:

· Avian influenza virus

· Avian Adenovirus

· Avian paramyxoviruses (PMV-1, PMV-2, PMV-3, PMV-4, PMV-6, PMV-7, PMV-8, and PMV-9)

· Infectious Largnotracheitis Virus

· Infectious Bursa Disease Virus

· Infectious Bronchitis Virus

· Avian Encephalomyelitis Virus

· Avian Reovirus

· Avian metapneumovirus

· Fowl Pox

A minimum of 3 dilutions (high, medium and low titer) of a virus will be inoculated into the embryos by the appropriate route of inoculation (allantoic sac route (AR) method A and B, yolk sac route (YS), and chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) route).

Embryo robustness will be evaluated using the following guidelines:

· Percentage of non-specific deaths (first day deaths) following specimen inoculation

· Embryo vitality following movement of air sac for CAM inoculation

· Quality and quantity of allantoic fluid at I O - 16 days of incubation

· Yolk sac integrity

Table I

Agent Test

AGP = agar gel precipitin

CO = clinical observation

ELISA = enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay

HI = hema1.2lutination assay

IA = isolation of agent

IFA = indirect fluorescent antibody

MNT= microneutralization

PM = post mortem

SPA = serum plate agglutination