New SE vaccine option for poultry producers

Merck Animal Health has introduced SE Guard, a vaccine available for both broiler breeders and layers, to control the threat of Salmonella enteritidis. Prevention of this potentially deadly disease is critically important to producers who face annual losses of $300 million due to Salmonella enteritidis contamination in egg and meat products.

“Given the seriousness of this disease challenge, producers are keenly aware of how vital it is to have a strong, FDA-compliant Salmonella enteritidis control program in place,” says Charles Broussard, Merck Animal Health. “Vaccinating with SE Guard as part of a comprehensive program helps reduce colonisation and shedding of the bacteria within the flock.”

“Minimising infection in an operation also helps translate into a safer food supply for consumers, which is important given that cases of Salmonella have increased since 2008. It’s the most common infection with 1.2 million cases reported annually in the United States.”

With flexible timing options for administration, SE Guard is easily incorporated into any comprehensive Salmonella enteritidis protection program. Humoral antibodies protect pullets when vaccinated at least 10 weeks of age. A second vaccination is recommended a minimum six weeks following initial vaccination.