The aim of the study was to investigate the use of the orally applicated attenuated Salmonella vaccine Salmoporc® (which is already licensed for runners and fattening pigs) in three days old suckling piglets. In particular, the tolerance, colonisation kinetics, humoral immune response, protection against challenge infection with Salmonella Typhimurium DT104 and a possible interference of maternal antibodies on the success of vaccination have been investigated.