The research began in 2022 and consisted of recollecting and labeling several isolates across Mowi Scotland farms.
Mowi
Ridgeway Biologicals Ltd and Mowi Scotland have launched a new vaccine strategy to safeguard salmon against the bacteria Yersinia ruckeri. This bacteria can result in enteric red mouth disease (ERM), more common in salmonid species.
The research began in 2022 and consisted of recollecting and labeling several isolates across Mowi Scotland farms as the ERM usually appeared in salmon populations farmed on the west coast of Scotland.
After the 2023 tests, the plan is to implement the new vaccine in the first commercial batches of spring 2024 and see the results in 2025.
The process starts with an early vaccination during fish development in freshwater and a subsequent intraperitoneal injection before transfer to sea.
In late 2022, Mowi already implemented a vaccine to protect against Pasteurella skyensis, and according to the salmon farming giant, no clinical outbreaks of the bacteria have been reported.
About this success and more to come, Prof. Herve Migaud, Mowi’s Director of Fish Health, Welfare, and Biology, commented: "Monitoring and understanding what the threats are is the first line of defense against clinical outbreaks and the collaboration contributed very significantly to improve the health and welfare of Mowi Scotland stocks and reduce the use of antibiotics."
Mowi Scotland has reduced the use of antibiotics by 79% over the last three years (2021-2023). Furthermore, the 2024 Aquaculture Awards has named this initiative as a finalist in the ‘Collaboration’ category.
