Elanco Animal Health announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture has approved AviPro Megan Egg for salmonella prevention in live turkey production.

AviPro Megan Egg for turkeys is a USDA-licensed vaccine recommended as an aid in the prevention of Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) colonization of the liver and spleen.

Prior to the expanded label indications for turkeys, AviPro Megan Egg was approved for the vaccination of chickens as an aid in the reduction of Salmonella Enteritidis colonization of the internal organs, the intestinal tract and ceca.

As part of a comprehensive salmonella control program, AviPro Megan Egg is a safe, effective and targeted salmonella intervention and the first salmonella vaccine to be labeled for turkeys. It delivers salmonella colonization reduction and immunity development in turkeys, ultimately contributing to reduced environmental prevalence over time.

With coarse-spray and drinking water applications, AviPro Megan Egg’s two dose application protocol easily adapts to most vaccine programs. For less than two cents per bird, AviPro Megan Egg provides an effective option as part of a salmonella control program and customer brand protection.

“Prioritizing food chain, brand and bird protection with consistent, comprehensive salmonella control programs mitigates risk from egg to end consumer,” said Dr. Brian McComb, poultry technical consultant at Elanco. “The expansion of AviPro Megan Egg in turkeys supports a proactive approach to salmonella control, enabling companies to reduce salmonella risk while meeting customer, regulatory and, ultimately, consumer demands.”

Research has shown salmonella reduction in turkeys

In a controlled study, one-day-old poults were vaccinated with AviPro Megan Egg, revaccinated through drinking water at three weeks of age and then challenged with wild-type ST at seven weeks of age. Vaccinated poults showed significantly reduced salmonella colonization post-challenge compared to non-vaccinated poults.

However, Elanco said vaccination alone can’t be relied upon to prevent salmonella. A comprehensive control program requires an integrated approach, including optimizing gut health, strong biosecurity measures, environmental monitoring, litter management, pest and rodent control and water and feed management.