How to Ensure Good Hygiene and Bio-Security in Your Poultry Farm

How to Ensure Good Hygiene and Bio-Security in Your Poultry Farm

BIO-SECURITY ENTAILS GOOD HYGIENE AND SANITATION

It is recommended that when establishing a standard poultry farm bio-security should be first on your mind. The farm should be located far away from human settlements.

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This is to minimize vehicular and human interference that could result in stressing the birds. Farms should be well fenced and secured.

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The pens or buildings should be far apart from each other, the birds should be of the same age and from the same source or hatchery. And from a reputable farm.

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This is to ensure uniformity, conformity to standards of production to guaranty the health of the birds.

Birds from different sources could pose some health challenges since you can’t guaranty the standard of production of the different farms. This is to reduce disease transfer and transmission to a minimal level.

Read also: Basic management factors that improves flock production

HOUSING TYPES FOR A GOOD BIO-SECURITY MEASURE

When constructing the poultry house, the overall weather and climatic condition of the environment. And the town, where the farm is going to be located, should be put into serious consideration.

Especially in a tropical and humid hot climates where maximum ventilation is needed.

The building should be constructed in such a way and manner that the direction of the rain, sun, and wind should be put into consideration.

To prevent such from entering into the pen, and the reduction of excessive sunlight into the pen by building extended veranda.

The walls and roofs should contain insulation with a moisture barrier and rodent-proof materials and ceiling height should be adequate for proper ventilation.

Equipment used in the house should be designed for easy access and removal for clean-out, maintenance, and bio-security consideration.

In open-sided houses, it is important to use insulated materials including a shield (protection) for water tanks and pipes.

In these houses, it is necessary to place wire netting and fencing over openings and ventilation inlets.

To control predators, rodents and wild birds, and other disease vectors.

TO ENSURE ADEQUATE BIO-SECURITY, FARM WORKERS AND VISITORS ARE TO BE SCREENED PROPERLY.

when it comes to bio-security vehicular and human traffic should be taken seriously. Because they are one of the major sources of disease transmission in farms.

Therefore visitors should not be permitted on the farm without proper screening with good disinfectants and sanitizing agents.

The entries into the farm should be restricted to farmworkers and medical personnel only.

People or material from other poultry farms must be strictly banned. Only new egg trays, egg boxes, and litter should be used.

Workers on the farm must not keep poultry or pet birds at home or come into contact with other poultry birds.

In order to ensure good bio-security measures. Poultry owners and farmworkers are to wear protective clothing within the farm area and disinfect their boots before entry.

Truck drivers should never be allowed to enter the poultry farm without properly disinfecting their cars and clothes.

Read also: Top 5 Reasons for Poor broiler growth and solutions

CLEAN UP AND DISINFECTION

The house and the equipment should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected using the following method:

• The use of antibacterial disinfectants should be employed to ensure proper cleanup.
• Use a good and effective insecticide after each batch of birds.
• Remove all the non-stationary, non-permanent equipment for proper cleaning and easy replacement.
• Properly clean and remove the residual feed from troughs, conveyors, and bins.
• Rodents and wild birds should be put at bay to ensure good bio-security.
• Make sure the floor is well scraped and all the manure, litter, feathers, dust, and any other organic materials removed.
• Thoroughly wash equipment, fans, ducts, water tanks, manual drinkers for day-old chicks, feed trays, feed bins, walls, and floor with a good disinfectant and germicide.
• Allow the above items to dry properly.
• Disinfect the interior of the building and allow it to dry properly.
• Monitor the effectiveness of clean-up by visual examination and bacteriological analysis.
• The building should be well fumigated before the arrival of chicks.
• After the building is fumigated, close up for 24 hours and then air out for another 24 hours. To allow the smell of the chemical to ease out and allow fresh air to come in.
• The issue of bio-security and hygiene should be taken seriously by both intending and established poultry farmers.
• Adhering to stringent bio-security measures that will improve the well-being of your birds. Will go a long way to have a good return on investment in your poultry venture.
• As the saying goes prevention is always better than cure.

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