Commercial trials have demonstrated the efficacy of AVERT® NE from Huvepharma against necrotic enteritis in commercial broiler facilities.
Conducted at commercial broiler farms that had been experiencing problems with the disease, the trials evaluated livability and zootechnical performance of birds given the vaccine, pointing to improvements in vaccinated flocks compared to unvaccinated birds.
Reducing disease mortality
A livability study carried out between January 2024 and February 2025 compared 138 flocks vaccinated with AVERT NE with 142 unvaccinated flocks previously placed on the same farms. The average number of flocks per farm during the vaccination period was similar to the average number when the vaccine was not used, at 3.3 and 3.4 flocks per farm, respectively.
Coccidiosis control strategies varied during the trial and included synthetic anticoccidials, a coccidiosis vaccine and a bioshuttle program including both vaccination and an anticoccidial.
Livability, a measure of the percentage of birds making it to harvest, averaged 94.93% for flocks vaccinated with AVERT NE, compared to 93.82% in unvaccinated flocks – a statistically significant difference that analysis determined could be attributed to the use of the vaccine.
Vaccine improves performance
A second performance study took place between January and June 2025 and involved 12 farms. Twelve flocks were vaccinated with AVERT NE and were compared with the previous 14 unvaccinated flocks placed on the same farms. Performance metrics recorded included livability, average daily gain, variation from average feed conversion ratio, variation from average live cost and average final body weight.
The researchers observed differences in livability, average daily gain and variance from average feed conversion ratio, with statistical confidence levels exceeding 95%. Improvements in average body weight and variance from average live production cost were also recorded and were significant, at more than 80% confidence.
The performance improvements translated into a clear economic benefit for the producer. Additional revenue generated from improved performance was $35,248, while the total cost of vaccinating the flocks was $7,756.80, resulting in a payback ratio of 4.54.
“These farms went from being poorer performers, where the cost of production was higher than other farms they were being compared to, to being more efficient producers, where the cost of production was lower than the comparison farms,” explained David Smith, DVM, MS, Director of Poultry Technical Services at Huvepharma.
From controlled to uncontrolled systems
There are confounding factors with this type of uncontrolled study in a commercial setting, including different environments and feeds, Smith noted. However, producers often want to see such “real-world” performance in addition to data from controlled pen trials.
“What we have always tried to do is have both,” he explained. “So, if we have data from a controlled pen study that shows an advantage and then we see a similar result in a commercial setting, we can be very confident that the result is real.”
The approach used in this case — comparing repeated flocks placed on the same farms — had advantages over studies that compare only weekly averages, Smith added.
“When you don’t break the information down to the individual farm level, but just look at a weekly average, it is often difficult to identify differences,” he said.
“The beauty of the present studies is we were able to go back and show that, although the flocks weren’t on the farm at the same time, it was the same farm, the same facilities and the same disease exposure.”
Findings support vaccine investment
Improvements in livability were the key takeaway from the work and formed the basis for justifying investment in vaccination programs.
“Sometimes producers ask why they should vaccinate all these birds if they don’t know whether they’re going to be exposed to necrotic enteritis or not. I’ve always tried to portray vaccines as an insurance policy,” Smith said.
“If you have a significant necrotic enteritis challenge risk, then having the insurance of a vaccine program, even though you may not have necrotic enteritis in every flock, pays back in terms of keeping birds alive.”
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