Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
- Vertical transmission is the transmission of a pathogen from a parent to its offspring (e.g., via the placenta, colostrum, or egg).
- Horizontal transmission is the spread of an infectious agent between individuals of the same generation through direct or indirect contact.
Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the transmission routes of the given poultry diseases:
- Avian leukosis complex (ALC): Readily transmitted vertically from infected hens to their chicks through the egg, as well as horizontally.
- Egg Drop Syndrome 76 (EDS-76): The virus is primarily transmitted vertically through embryonated eggs.
- Chronic respiratory disease (Mycoplasmosis): Transmitted vertically from infected breeder hens through the egg to the progeny.
- Infectious bronchitis (IB): This is a highly contagious, acute viral disease of poultry caused by a coronavirus. It is transmitted horizontally via aerosol droplets and ingestion of contaminated feed/water. It is not vertically transmitted through the egg (the virus does not survive inside the egg to infect the developing embryo).
Step 2: Final Answer:
The disease that is not vertically transmitted is Infectious bronchitis, which corresponds to Option (A).