Aviguard, a Competitive Exclusion Product: A Novel Approach for Increased Food Safety in Poultry Production

Aviguard is a freeze-dried fermentation product used to establish a "normal gut flora" in chickens and turkeys following spray treatment or drinking water application. Aviguard reduces the colonization of transient enterobacteria by Competitive Exclusion (CE). The product contains a mixture of live, commensal bacteria, partially characterized, which is representative of the mature bacterial populations in the caecum of the adult bird. Seven broiler field trials, encompassing over 130 broiler flocks treated by coarse spray with Aviguard at day-old, have revealed significant reductions of caecal Salmonella carriage when assessed shortly before processing. Studies in caged replacement pullets indicate that Aviguard treatment increases Salmonella clearance during production. Moreover, an efficacy synergism between oral Aviguard treatment and immunization with a parenteral inactivated Salmonella vaccine has been demonstrated. In an established infection model, Aviguard has also been found to be effective for reducing Clostridium perfringens associated Necrotic Enteritis (NE) and to compare favourably against the antimicrobials virginiamycin and bacitracin. It is to be expected that Aviguard will contribute to the control of NE in the absence of in-feed antimicrobial performance enhancers. Furthermore, in a laboratory setting, the colonization of multiple resistant, avian pathogenic Escherichia coli was inhibited in all sections of the chicken gastro-intestinal tract by the day-old treatment with Aviguard. It can be envisaged that the regular prophylactic usage of Aviguard is likely to contribute to a higher food safety standard during the in-life stage of poultry production.

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