A disease outbreak on a poultry farm can be one of the greatest nightmares for a farmer. The response to the attack can either accelerate or slow down the virus transmission.
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| How to manage your poultry farm and prevent disease outbreaks |
Poultry being the most important source of animal protein for humans, is surprisingly produced mainly by small-scale farms. It accounts for most poultry products being sold or consumed, especially for countries in Asia and Africa.
Still, most small-scale farmers have little or no investments in vaccination or disinfection against diseases. With little or no preparation for these disease outbreaks, most farmers make rash decisions during the attacks.
When these outbreaks occur, the small-scale farmer prefers to make quick sales of the chickens that survived the attack, sometimes premature chicks, hoping to mitigate the loss caused by the disease. But he fails to understand that the chicken sold has the potential to enhance onward transmission to other chickens or humans.
Research by Alexis Delabouglise shows that a majority of these small-scale farms believe that no precautions or measures are necessary for them because they own small farms. Still, farmers need to understand that these diseases don’t just pose a risk to their chickens but also to the public.
With proper knowledge of this disease, a farmer will have more insight about what causes them, symptoms to check out for, and the preventive measures to take so these diseases don’t occur.
It is the responsibility of the farmer to control infection within their farms.
AVIAN INFLUENZA
Also known as bird flu is a viral infection found in domestic poultry and a wide range of other birds caused by infection with avian influenza Type A virus. Bird flu can affect birds on the poultry farm when they come in contact with the bird flu virus in water, food, or particles contaminated by the virus-like in the droppings of migratory birds, which are natural carriers.
Symptoms
1. Sneezing and coughing
2. Lack of coordination
3. Lack of energy and appetite
4. Swelling of the head, eyelids, wattles, hocks, and comb
5. Soft-shelled or misshapen eggs
Control and Prevention
Treatment with antiviral compounds is not approved or recommended. Preventive measures can instead be put in place to avoid contamination of the poultry farm.
1. Have birds tested
2. Do not borrow or use equipment from other poultry farms
3. Closely monitor your chickens’ behaviors and appetite
4. Limit access to your poultry farm to only the necessary personnel
5. Thoroughly clean and disinfect all equipment and vehicles used to move your birds and clean their houses.
NEWCASTLE DISEASE
The New Castle is an infection of domestic poultry and other bird species caused by virulent Newcastle disease virus (NDV). The Newcastle disease is spread primarily through droppings and secretions from infected birds. Infected birds can also shed the virus into the air, which other birds on the poultry farm can ingest.
Symptoms
1. Nasal discharge
2. Greenish/watery diarrhea
3. Droopy wings
4. Swelling of tissues around the eyes and in the neck
5. Complete paralysis
Control and Prevention
The Newcastle disease has no specific treatment, but antibiotics (which do not affect viruses) can be given three to five days to prevent secondary bacterial infections. Preventive measures to put in place are;
1. Vaccination
2. Good sanitation and proper cleaning of tools and equipment
3. Keep rodents and wild birds away
4. Quarantine new birds
5. Establish waste management areas
FOWL CHOLERA
Fowl cholera, also called avian cholera, is a contagious bacterial disease of birds caused by Pasteurella multocida. It causes high morbidity, high mortality, and asymptomatic infections. It will spread if chickens come in contact with excretions from the mouth, nose, and conjunctiva of diseased birds. It contaminates shoes, crates, feed bags, and other equipment.
Symptoms
1. Fever
2. Discharge from the beak
3. Increased respiratory rate
4. Mucous
5. Ruffled feathers
Control and Prevention
Intramuscular injections of a long acting tetracyclinewith the same antibiotic in drinking water simultaneously will stop the mortality and clinical signs within one week. Still, the bacteria might remain present in the flock. These will lead to continuous treatment over a while as opposed to depopulation. Preventive measures to put in place are;
1. Vaccination
2. Antibiotics
3. Biosecurity
4. Supportive care
5. Thorough cleaning and disinfection
GUMBORO
Gumboro is caused by the infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV), which affects the lymph cells cloaca, tonsil, and spleen. Chickens infected with gumboro shed the virus in their feces. Feed, water, bedding material, and other materials can be contaminated and infect other birds if they ingest the virus.
Symptoms
1. Vent pecking
2. Dehydration
3. Huddling
4. Poor appetite
5. Ruffled feathers
Control and Prevention
No specific treatment is available, but a multivitamin supplement may help, and antibiotic medication may be indicated if secondary bacterial infection occurs. Preventive measures to put in place are;
1. Carry out vaccination in chicks during the first week of life
2. Biosecurity
3. Stringent disinfection
4. Routine blood testing
5. Isolation from visitors
As a farmer, you should always try as much as possible to prevent and control disease outbreaks on your poultry farms. This disease endangers your poultry farms and poses a greater risk to you as a human, future poultry stocks that will be reared, and the public if the disease outbreak is not controlled correctly. Good health starts with you!