SALMONELLA VACCINE OUTAGE

There has recently been a nationwide batch failure of the Salmonella vaccine, Salvexin, meaning the vaccine is in very short supply for the foreseeable future.

Follow the link below to find ways to mitigate your risk.

•        Minimise stress

•        Optimise gut health

•      Supplement immune function (Multimin is an option)

Important note: Salmonella is a ‘zoonoses’ which can infect and cause serious disease in humans, ensure all staff are aware so they avoid consumption of unpasteurised milk and maintain high levels of personal cleanliness and hygiene (regular washing of hands etc. when in contact with the cows)

Control and containment of salmonella without vaccination needs to focus on optimising the cows immunity

• Development of individual cases and more widespread outbreaks results from the presence of the bacteria in the environment, the environment supporting the survival of the bacteria and a reduction in the cows natural immunity

• Often farmers solely ‘blame’ the presence of wild waterfowl (ducks, geese, swans etc.) for the emergence of the disease when more commonly disease arises from susceptibility in the cows immunity

• Control and containment of salmonella without vaccination therefore needs to focus on optimising the cows immunity firstly by:

Ensuring optimal gut health and pH:

• Avoiding feeds that are acidogenic – maintain fiber levels and bulk in the diet through the inclusion of hay and straw, especially when feeding more maize silage, meal or high sugar feeds like kiwifruit in bulk

• Avoiding mineral additives that are either too acidic or basic – Too much magnesium oxide (pH 10) and/or poor distribution

Minimising other stressors affecting the cow such as:

• Nutritional - Maintain adequate feeding levels and ensure macro minerals are adequate esp. in calving cows. Very important not to pinch cows too hard at dry off

• Animal health - Monitoring for and addressing any concurrent disease such as mastitis / metritis etc

  
  

Optimising immune function

• Consider the use of immune supportive products such as MULTIMIN ®

• Minimise exposure to bacteria by

  • Isolating clinical cases immediately

  • Minimising the chance of feed being infected with faeces from other cows – by feeding in bins versus feeding on the ground

  • Ensuring high traffic areas are regularly cleaned/ sanitised