UK Eggs - a public health and market success story by Nick Bailey GM Joice and Hill ltd

20-Jan-2011

In 1988, Health Minister Edwina Curry declared that “most of UK egg production was infected with salmonella”. Her comments were disastrous to the egg sector and flocks were slaughtered as consumption dropped through the floor. In truth we did not have a proper epidemiological picture and that year the UK had 30 000 cases of salmonella infection and 60 fatalities. Edwina lost her job and many egg producers undoubtedly burnt effigies of her but 10 years later the egg industry got its house in order and turned a PR disaster into a success story. In 2004 only 8% of UK holdings were positive for salmonella (EFSA report). This continue to fall and by 2009 the figure was just 0.35%. Incidences of all salmonella poisoning have fallen by more than two thirds.

The Lion Code
So how did this happen? In 1998 the largest packers re-introduced a quality mark from the 1950s and the Lion Code was born. A new code of practice encompassing hygiene, traceability, bird welfare, S.e. and latterly S.t. vaccination was introduced. Initially this was mostly inactivated vaccine but later live vaccines were also widely used. The code covers the entire chain from the placement of PS chicks to the slaughter of commercial hens at the end of lay and includes regulation of feed mills and packing stations. The Lion is independently audited and today accounts for 90% of UK egg production.
All UK commercial breeding flocks and hatcheries are within the Lion. PS flocks are not vaccinated against salmonella but closely monitored including sensitive environmental testing during the production period. Hatcheries are also monitored with 6 weekly hygiene audits. Weekly testing of meconium samples has now been replaced with testing of hatch basket liners, a sample of which is sealed and sent out with all chick deliveries.

Feed control is a very important aspect of food safety and all mills supplying Lion Code flocks must conform to the UFAS/UKASTA codes of practice. Diets are free from animal proteins and many producers use acids such as Salcurb as added insurance. Breeder diets are mostly heat treated.

Moulting is not allowed and all flocks are tracked on a passport system. The Lion supports egg sales through the British Egg Information Service and promotes recognition of the brand through advertising. Egg consumption has started to increase again in recent years.

National Control Programme
Since 1st January 2009 new EU regulations forbid the sale of eggs from S.e. and S.t. infected flocks, unless first heat treated. A National Control Programme was introduced for each EU country to ensure adherence and monitor progress towards low levels of infection. The UK industry has, certainly for the past 12 years, consistently argued in favour of scientifically-based and proportionate control measures and has, in partnership with the UK authorities, helped shape the current control system. All tests are carried out using the highly sensitive MSRV ('Modified Bilthoven') method. It applies to all holdings over 350 hens using the following schedule:
• Breeders. Boot swabs from all houses every 3 weeks.
• Hatchery. Pooled composite sample of hatch basket liners representing all supplying PS flocks plus up to 60 dead on arrival chicks.
• Rearing. For floor rearing boot swabs and for cages composite faeces sample taken at 14 weeks.
• In lay, boot swabs or composite faeces taken every 15 weeks and starting at 22-26 weeks.
• Any isolates are fully identified to serotype and confirmed as either field or vaccinal origin. There is a requirement to ensure that antimicrobial use does not mask infection.
In preliminary EU baseline testing in 2004, the majority of positive sites were multi-age intensive units. These units had the most work to do but between 2004 and 2009 the number of positive holdings fell from 8% to 0.35%. This shows eradication is possible. It also demonstrates that vaccination alone is no magic bullet to salmonella control as the majority of these units would have been vaccinated throughout this period. Bio-security was key:
• Where possible sites became single age or at least reduced the number of ages.
• Many changed from dry to wet cleaning during house turnaround and introduced strict bio-security protocols such as separate clothing and footwear per house.
• In particular rodent control was a central issue and many producers used specialist advice to eradicate persistent infestations.
In 2009 Edwina Curry wrote in the national press, “Twenty years ago last December, I warned the people of the UK, when I was minister for public health, that we had a problem with eggs….. A decade later, the British egg industry had sorted itself out, spending millions to clean up their act. So, I'm delighted that the latest study shows that eating eggs may be good for you – or at least, no longer bad for you. They are cheap, nutritious and great with bits of toast. Eat up, say I! Eat up!”

Nick Bailey - General Manager - Joice and Hill ltd