Salmonella risks highlighted at Layer Conference

Elanco and Rosehill Poultry Vets welcomed 50 delegates to their annual Layer Conference, at the West Midlands Shooting Ground on 29 June 2023. Delegates were warned of the continued risk of Salmonella outbreaks in poultry and introduced to new vaccine research aimed at Salmonella prevention in layer hens.

Salmonella risk trends highlighted by APHA

One of the major takeaways from the day was highlighted by Shaun Cawthraw, from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). 

He shared an alarming figure: between 2018 to 2020, there was a 50% year-on-year increase in cases of Salmonella on-farm, driven by regulated and non-regulated serovars. 

One of the major take home messages from the day was highlighted by Shaun Cawthraw, from the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), who shared the alarming figure that cases of Salmonella on-farm between 2018 to 2020, there was a 50% year-on-year increase in Salmonella on-farm, driven by regulated and non-regulated serovars. 

“While this is primarily down to a rise in non-regulated serovars in broiler cases, it shows a Salmonella trend that could be seen in layers in future, if no action is taken,” he said.

“It’s imperative that egg producers are aware of Salmonella serovar prevalence and their risk levels.”

Which Salmonella serovars pose most risk

Mr Cawthraw also broke down the specific Salmonella serovars posing a threat to poultry flocks.

“In commercial layers, S. Newport has been the most common Salmonella serovar, affecting 18.4% of positive flocks,” he explained.

“However, S. Infantis is one of the most frequently isolated poultry serovars globally, and it’s an emerging risk in the UK. 

“As the principal source of human infection, the layer industry must be vigilant against the threat of S. Infantis infections,” he warned.

New vaccine research for improved Salmonella protection

Continuing the theme, Elanco’s technical consultant, James Bishop, presented the results from recent Salmonella vaccine research.

One of these trials looked at the effectiveness of AviPro™ Salmonella Duo, which contains S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium strains, against infections of S. Typhimurium, versus a live S. Enteritidis vaccine from another supplier.

Dr Bishop explained: “Seven days after birds were exposed to a field strain S. Typhimurium challenge, only 4 of the 33 birds given a live S. Enteritidis vaccine tested negative for the strain in caecal samples.

“Whereas, 23 out of 35 birds vaccinated with AviPro Salmonella Duo showed no infection¹.

“Similarly, spleen samples showed only 3 out of 35 birds vaccinated with AviPro Salmonella Duo were positive for Salmonella infection, compared to 15 out of 33 with the alternative vaccine.”

Advantages of AviPro Salmonella Duo for Salmonella control in poultry

The AviPro Salmonella Duo vaccine showed significantly better protection compared to the product containing a S. Enteritidis vaccine strain only, when birds were challenged with a S. Typhimurium field strain.

As there is expected to be a direct correlation between the number of field strains in the caeca, and the number of organisms shed by the birds², birds vaccinated with AviPro Salmonella Duo are expected to shed significantly less field strain Salmonella organisms compared to birds vaccinated with the live S. Enteritidis vaccine from another supplier. 

Egg industry outlook and profitability insights 

Industry experts, Nan-Dirk Mulder from Rabobank and Andrew Joret, chairman of the British Egg Industry Council (BEIC), also provided delegates with updates on the egg industry landscape.

“Following a couple of challenging years, we’re starting to see lower feed prices and higher egg prices, which means that egg production is looking more profitable,” said Mr Mulder.

“Despite this, there’s still a huge variation in margins between poultry producers. Focusing on operational excellence and looking at alternative ways to market and add value to eggs through convenience products is recommended, to optimise margins.” 

British egg industry update

Mr Joret continued with an update on British egg production.

“With 38 million hens, the egg industry has dropped off since June 2021 where we saw a high of 44.7 million hens, following a spell of very low egg prices³,” he said.

“But the good news is that we’re seeing a steady uplift now." 

“However, the change to cage-free systems is putting pressure on some egg producers, costing an average of £25 per bird to make the switch, as this needs to be in place by 2025,” said Mr Joret. 

Key takeaway: Vigilance in Salmonella prevention and industry growth

Bringing together industry leaders and stakeholders after a challenging period was a valuable opportunity to discuss both the risks and opportunities facing the egg sector. 

With rising concerns about Salmonella disease in poultry, proactive measures like vaccination with AviPro Salmonella Duo are essential for safeguarding flock health and supporting industry resilience.