“Merial strongly believes in bringing new information and educational programmes to the avian industry, while providing a forum for sharing veterinary field experience across the globe to improve poultry health and production,” said Jérôme Baudon, Head of Global Strategic Marketing Avian.

One of Merial’s firm commitments in the avian field is to form relationships with its customers. Over the course of the three–day Forum, participants heard presentations on the latest science relating to poultry immunity from a dozen world–recognised experts in their respective fields. Subjects ranged from the basics of the avian immune system, the devastating effects of Infectious Bursal Disease (IBD) and Marek’s Disease (MD) on chickens, and control of the disease, as well as an overview of the history of vaccine development and a preview of future developments.

“The control of IBD and MD remains one of the key challenges in the reduction of immune suppression,” said Dr Thomas Zwercher, Merial’s Marketing Director for Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “But better control methods are being developed, both in classical vaccines and using new technology, including the first vector vaccine, VAXXITEK HVT+IBD, developed by Merial and now licensed for use in more than 65 countries,” he said.

“One protection is not enough,” he stressed, referring to the main theme of the Forum. “The immune system represents a key asset to build a solid protection against a series of infectious agents and to preserve optimal health status; VAXXITEK HVT+IBD is setting the gold standard as the vaccine against IBD and is as efficient against MD as any other HVT vaccine.”

Dr Francesco Prandini (Technical Manager for Merial EMEA) and Professor Silke Rautenschlein (Hanover University) presented new data validating that VAXXITEK HVT+IBD is the only existing vaccine which brings proven protection to the immune system of broilers and layers, fulfilling the final objective where birds fully express their genetic potential and achieve the best performance and return on investment for producers.

This has been confirmed in the field, according to reports in a Round Table session, in which customers from China, Brazil, Egypt, Spain, the United Kingdom and France enthusiastically highlighted the economic benefits of using VAXXITEK HVT+IBD vaccine in broilers and layers. Since its first launch in 2006 in Brazil, it is estimated that over 19 billion chickens have been vaccinated worldwide with VAXXITEK HVT+IBD.

For many participants, a highlight of the Merial Avian Forum was the opportunity to visit some of the magnificent sights of the ‘Eternal City’ and the gala dinner, held on a peaceful terrace of the Aventine Hill, watching the sun set over St Peter’s Basilica.

Further Reading

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Find out more information on the diseases mentioned in this article by clicking here.