We aim to produce an oral bacterin-toxoid type of biologic for use in commercial grower aged ducks and geese for prevention of Riemerella anatipestifer subtypes 1, 2, 5, and Escherichia coli. This toxoid is to be trialed in Pekin type meat ducklings. Challenge studies will occur in coordination with antibody response testing to reduce the number of ducklings sacrificed for this study. The end goal is a USDA licensed, commercially available product for production and distribution by the International Duck Research Cooperative (IDRC) with the assistance of Cornell University for both duck and geese on the North American continent. This project is to occur in two phases.

Phase 1: Bacterin-toxoid like Pilot study: The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of a Riemerella anatipestifer Escherichia-coli toxoid like bacterin administered orally to White Pekin Ducklings starting at day of hatch through challenge age at 21 days and 14 days following challenge within survivors. The goal is to replicate on farm challenge mortalities of approximately 30% with challenge isolates of Riemerella and Escherichia coli through controlled direct and bystander challenges specific to each serotype or Riemerella anatipestifer or Escherichia coli. The goal is to see noticeable reduction in the mortality of an on farm challenge rate with administration of this oral product compared with sham water provided controls and to provide a platform for autogenous biologic production. Escherichia coli is hoped to act synergistically as an affordable adjuvant substitute on this biologic.

Phase 2: large scale up of pilot bacterin-toxoid like study: If pilot results provide positive data for reduction in disease follow up studies will commence to replicate the initial results in larger numbers of ducklings with refinement of the processes outlined during the pilot study.