Poultry

The time of year is here when poultry farmers need to pay particular attention to disease prevention in their flocks. Just like with humans, who always seem to come down with a cold after they have been "cooped up" with a large number of people in a small room, disease can be transmitted quickly to a large number of animals, in poultry houses that are closed tightly with winter time ventilation programs.

One of the easiest ways to decrease your fears about diseases in your poultry flock is to make sure that the birds are never exposed to disease organisms, in the first place. This concept can be summed up in a term called "biosecurity".

Biosecurity is safety or protection from transmission of infectious agents of any type--viral, bacterial, fungal, or parasitic. You can achieve this safety through a number of ways.

First, always remember that "not knowing" and/or carelessness by individuals is the biggest threat to biosecurity. For this reason, keep buildings and premises locked at all times. Wear fresh, clean coveralls, cap or hat, and boots when visiting a farm. Change to another fresh outfit before moving to another farm.

All tools and equipment used on the farm should be cleaned, washed and disinfected, before it is moved to another farm. Especially, give careful attention to cleaning and disinfecting egg carts, hauling crates, delivery trucks, tool boxes, pickup trucks, vaccine sprayers, spreader trucks, etc. Any of these, if contaminated, can in turn contaminate the next farm they come in contact with. Be alert to all possible ways that disease can be spread on your farm.

Good ventilation pays! Large amounts of fresh air dilute microbial populations and reduce disease buildup. Locate new poultry houses and facilities as far as possible from other poultry operations and poultry traffic.

Here are a few Do's and Don'ts that will allow you to do a better job of maintaining a good biosecurity program:

• Do business with suppliers that practice good biosecurity standards.
• Do keep poultry in pens, houses, or cages. If birds run loose they increase their chance of coming in contact with some means of transmission of disease organisms.
• Do practice "all in, all out" management. If you keep birds from one flock to another, there is no break in production and disease can continue from one flock to another. Also, rodents and insects that "stay over" can transmit disease from one flock to the next.
• Do clean, wash, and disinfect housing and equipment at least once per year.
• Do promptly remove and properly dispose of mortality.
• Do keep free-flying birds and waterfowl away from your flock.
• Don't permit dirty equipment or trucks on your farm.
• Don't keep or mix pet birds or other types of fowl.
• Don't house birds of different ages in the same facility. Some diseases are more likely to manifest themselves in birds of a particular age. If the disease is exhibited, then it can pass to birds that might not normally get the disease.
• Don't visit poultry buildings on other farms. If there is a local disease outbreak, you may need to think about any sort of interaction that might put you in contact with other producers.

If farmers will follow these tips on biosecurity, the chance of disease occurance on their farm will be at a minimum, and they will continue to produce healthy birds and eggs for our consumption.

For more information, contact your county office of the Cooperative Extension Service. All Cooperative Extension programs are open to all people regardless of race, religion, color, ethnic origin, age, sex or disability.