Merial Canada - VAXXITEK One Million Birds Trial

A Million Birds. One Conclusion.

Canadian Trial Demonstrates the Performance Improvements of Vaccination with VAXXITEK® HVT + IBD

One of the largest Canadian field studies of its kind, over one million broilers, were vaccinated with VAXXITEK HVT + IBD over four periods from June 2010 to February 2011.1 The large Canadian broiler operation had two separate groups of barns in the same region. The smaller of the two groups had been affected by a serious IBD field virus challenge for some time. Despite trying various IBD field vaccinces, protocols and timing, it lagged behind the rest of the operation in virtually all performance parameters.

In the large-scale trial, birds in the IBD-challenged group of barns were vaccinated with VAXXITEK HVT + IBD, while birds in the larger, unaffected group continued with their standard protocol. All the birds were raised as a straight run flow without sexing.

At the end of the trial, the conclusion was clear. Vaccination with VAXXITEK HVT + IBD resulted in a substantial improvement, particularly in livability, number of condemnations, and profitability.

TRIAL OVERVIEW

VAXXITEK HVT + IBD Group

Total Number of Birds:	1,144,70
History: Barns in this group had an IBD field virus challenge and ongoing performance problems. In the year prior to the study, numerous IBD vaccine protocols (timing & products) did not yield improvements.
Pre-Trial Performance Index*:	340.58
Treatment: VAXXITEK HVT + IBD dose in the hatchery; no IBD field vaccination Route: Day-of-age subcutaneous injection Duration: 4 production periods (June 2010 to Feb 2011)
Trial Performance Index*:	349.86

+9.28

Standard Protocol Group

Total Number of Birds:	4,221,947
History: The IBD challenge was well controlled in the barns for this larger group by the standard vaccine protocol. Vaccine protocol remained the same and yielded satisfactory results.
Pre-Trial Performance Index*:	351.81
Treatment: Marek HVT Vaccine dose in the hatchery + IBD field vaccination using Bursine® 2 at Day 10-12 Route: Day-of-age subcutaneous injection + field vaccination with Bursine® 2 by spray Duration: Same 4 production periods (June 2010 to Feb 2011)
Trial Performance Index*:	351.15

-0.66

VAXXITEK BRINGS OUT THE BEST IN THE TOUGHEST BARNS

Based on vaccination with VAXXITEK HVT + IBD, the performance gap between the IBD-challenged barns and the rest of the operation was virtually eliminated:

PERFORMANCE INDEX* RESULTS

Vaccination with VAXXITEK HVT + IBD raised the performance of birds in the IBD-challenged site where other vaccines and protocols had failed.

1 Data on file at Merial Canada Inc.

*Index is based on the following calculation: ( Livability (%) x Weight (kg) x (102 - % condemnations) ) / (Age (days) x Feed Conversion)

**Calculation based on 2¢ per Marek-vaccinated chick from the hatchery + an additional 1¢ per chick for live IBD vaccination (does not include labour); compared to 5.5¢ per VAXXITEK-vaccinated chick from the hatchery.