According to a recent report in the New Zealand Herald, a routine safety audit detected Salmonella (serotype presumed to be Enteritidis) in a supply flock for a hatchery distributing pullets to producers.  Appropriate responses involving depletion of the affected flock, tracing forward to detect infection in rearing pullets and in 64 commercial-level farms. The belated action was initiated to prevent release of potentially contaminated eggs tothe market.

Two commercial farms were identified with affected flocks and their product withheld.  Four additional farms that were not in production were identified as infected and flocks were culled and facilities decontaminated. 

A spokesperson for the Ministry for Primary Industries confirmed that surveillance has been intensified across the industry. It is apparent that the regulations to suppress SE in New Zealand do not require three week sampling of parent flocks or alternatively, this precautionary procedure was ignored with evident consequences.