MSD Introduces Program to Improve Poultry Respiratory Health

FRANCE - MSD Animal Health (known as Merck Animal Health in the USA and Canada) has announced that it is introducing an innovative and unique advancement – the Convenience Program.
calendar icon 23 August 2013
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The Program will help the poultry industry control respiratory diseases starting at the hatchery, improving their vaccination process and performance enhancement. The official launch occurred at the XVIIIth Congress of the World Veterinary Poultry Association on 19 to 20 August, in Nantes, France.

The Convenience Program is designed to meet the farmers’ current and future needs for process improvement and performance enhancement.

"Today, more than 70 per cent of the broilers produced worldwide reach their targeted weight of 2.5 Kg at 42 days of age and the growth curve is speeding due to continuous genetic evolution, better feed formulation and stronger health conditions, said Laura Villarreal, MSD Global Marketing Director.

"It is estimated that by 2020, the same number of broilers will reach that weight in 35 days, a full week less. This shortened growth cycle will reduce the time available for field vaccinations and mean there is no more time for vaccine failures and reactions."

The Convenience Program starts in the hatchery; with choosing the right combinations of vaccines and the most favorable route of application. Together these factors reduce stress and improve the birds’ breathing from the beginning.

"Conventional respiratory vaccines themselves may reduce flock performance due to reactions or cause incomplete protection and insufficient duration of immunity," said Dr Rik Koopman, MSD Global Technical Director.

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