First live salmonella vaccine for poultry
First live salmonella vaccine for poultry
TAD Salmonella vac E – the first live salmonella vaccine for poultry – has been launched by Lohmann Animal Health.
The vaccine immunises layers against Salmonella enteritidis, and is added to drinking water in three separate doses during the rearing period. As birds are not handled, stress is avoided and saving of £90/£1000 birds can be achieved, when costs of handling and injecting current vaccines are taken into account, says the company.
Speaking at the vaccines launch, Bill Nash, a consultant vet said the live vaccine was more effective in provoking a strong immunity against Salmonella enteritidis than dead vaccines tested.
"Immunity limits infection in the birds gut and reduces the chance of eggs becoming infected, which offers an opportunity to break the chain of infection from birds to man," he said.
But Rob Davis, from the Veterinary Laboratories Agency, Weybridge told delegates that although the incidence of Salmonella enteritidis appears to be falling, it will never be possible to relax control measures.
"It is important to have sufficient surveillance in place to rapidly identify future strains of salmonella and assess their significance," said Dr Davis. *