Costs and Benefits of Two Alternative Salmonella Control Policies in Finnish Broiler Production

In this study, costs and benefits of two Salmonella control options in broiler production were compared. The first option was to control Salmonella as set by Council Directive 92/117/EEC, so-called Zoonosis Directive. The second option was more intense control programme, the so-called Finnish Salmonella control programme. The costs of controlling Salmonella in primary and secondary production and the direct and indirect losses due to Salmonella infection in humans in both options were compared. The national control option was found to be economically feasible. One prevented loss of life covered all the control costs of the national programme.