Biosecurity in poultry.

Location, house design and construction

Disease management is an important component for sustainability of poultry project. It is imperative

that farmers should understand the most common means of transmitting animal diseases so that issue of

biosecurity can be put in place. It is well known that majority of diseases find their way to animal farms by

contaminated people, equipment and vehicles. It is estimated that over 80 percent of diseases are brought in through contaminated water, chucks, litter and pests such as wild birds and rodents.

Location:

When planning for a location of a poultry house. keepers should adhere to regulatory standards specification as set by mandated institution i.e The Ministry of Livestock Development plus other authorized institutions. The following factors are compulsory to be considered:

1. Choose a location at a reasonable distance from other poultry farms to prevent spread of diseases agents. A maximum of 500 meters is suggested.

2. Consider the direction of the prevailing winds to take advantage of ventilation. Consider location of the housing for younger birds, including the hatchery such that they are not downwind from housing with older birds.

3. Avoid constructing a poultry house in lowlands that are prone to flooding such as flood zones, waterways or wetlands.

4. Avoid construction in wetlands frequented by migratory birds that are known to be carriers of catastrophic diseases, such as Avian influenza and Newcastle. Also avoid stagnant waters and marshy areas

5. Construct poultry houses far away from main roads to minimize disturbance from travelling vehicles. A minimum of 300 meters from a road is suggested.

6. Farms should not be located close to hatcheries, feed mills or processing plants. Isolation of the facilities is a major factor in preventing disease spread.

Poultry house design:

Poultry houses for different chickens ages should be as far apart from each other as possible, this will minimize transmission of disease by agents. A minimum of 30 meters between houses with different ages is recommended.

The farm should be fenced to prevent entry of unauthorized people and other animals such as dogs, cats, backyard chickens, etc. an entryway for people and vehicles must be well designed and secured. Visitors must adhere to the standard instructions for livestock farm entry.

The area around the poultry house should be kept clear of debris and unwanted vegetation. It is ideal to have a cement apron around the poultry house perimeter, this will facilitate execution of cleaning and disinfection. Inside the house, the walls, ceilings and floors should be smooth to permit cleaning and disinfection. Cement floors are desirable though are often not economically feasible.

Provide one- way flow of traffic on the farm to minimize movement. Avoid backtracking of people, equipment and vehicles on the farm.

It is advised to cull sick and injured chickens in the houses and avoid use of quarantine pens. Sick animals cannot make it to processing plant in good condition, can also serve as a source of contamination for the entire farm.

Openings into the house should be fitted with screen to prevent entry of insects.

There should be a single entry point onto the farm which is equipped with disinfection for all vehicles, people and equipment that are brought into the premises. NO EXCEPTIONS!.

The entrance to each poultry house should be equipped with well maintained cleaning and disinfection basins. All people must dip their feet in the area having the disinfectant on entry and exit from the house.

Access to the poultry house must be through a compulsory compartment where cleaning and disinfection can be conducted. This area provides a physical separation between the clean area and the dirty area. Clean cloths should be provided for anyone entering the houses. In many companies, mandatory showers are installed. Farm managers and veterinarians must ensure that all staff are trained in how to use the facility correctly.

Dead chicken on the farm must be disposed of in an appropriate manner. Options include sending dead chickens off site to a distant location or incinerating, composting or burying in sealed containers.

The floor of the poultry houses should be sloped so that rainwater and waste materials can be directed properly from the house to prevent stagnant ion recontamination.

Feed storage facilities and sites should be designed and maintained well to provide good conditions for poultry keeping. Control of temperature, humidity, ventilation and sanitation are critical to ensure quality feed is fed to the birds.

CONCLUSION:

Farmers must observe bio-security measure to keep their farm activities profitable and sustainable. This is due to the fact that diseases, parasites, predators and other invaders are major stumbling blocks to the survival of the enterprise. Therefore, having biosecurity plans in place will minimize the risks associated with impediments mentioned above.

(November 17, 2020. From “ Farmers Media”)

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