DISEASE PREVENTION IN POULTRY FARMS.

Bio security is a set of protocols that are simple but specific that positively influence animal health,public health and ensure food safety.

 Personal hygiene plays a vital role in disease prevention; the use of protective clothing and shoes is a major way to stay safe and keep flock clean. The protective clothing could be disposable or re use-able and the level protection required will depend on the case at hand.

   The normal protective clothing for every day farm use include, the overalls,gloves and boots.The level of protection becomes more sophisticated in outbreak cases, where disposable protective clothing are worn with  the use of nose guards/respirators.

. The use of protective clothing and boots is complemented  with hand washing and disinfection. The clothes and boots are to be washed ,and disinfected after every use.

 HAND WASHING: this can be achieved with soap and disinfectants.The wash bowls should be placed at key points in the farm,and washing should be done before you enter farm and handle birds.

Alcohol swipes also come in handy after washing, these can be used to ensure the hands are clean and germ free.

 Foot dip: vats filled with disinfectant and placed at entrance of farms. The disinfectants should be changed at regular intervals.

FRANCE REPORTS 2 NEW CASES OF HPAI.

FRANCE - France's agriculture department has said that two further outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) have been detected as part of the emergency response to an outbreak identified last week. The French authorities immediately set up protection zones and surveillance around the backyard holding affected by the first outbreak, and as part of these measures, extra samples were taken from birds inside the cordons. The results from analysis of these samples revealed the presence of HPAI strains in poultry at two more farms in the Dordogne region, despite the birds exhibiting no mortalities or clinical signs. To protect and limit the spread of disease to other flocks of sensitive species, the Ministry of Agriculture said it is conducting the slaughter of all animals of the affected farms and have decided on further biosecurity measures. Story credit;The poultry site/news.

ON-FARM BIO SECURITY MEASURES FOR HORSES.

Bio security very vital to health management of horses, simple but effective measures to prevent diseases. Simple hand washing and disinfecting hands,clothing,tools go a long way to prevent diseases.The use of footdips,tyre dips,car sprays are also important bio security practices.

QUARANTINE STRATEGY FOR NEW HORSES.

Horses are adorable and fun to be around,but when there is an health issue its a different ball game altogether. Stable managers,horse lovers must follow strict bio security protocols for the safety of their animals.When buying a new horse, or a horse is coming over to your stables you need to quarantine them for about 10 days,this is after you are sure of vaccination history e.t.c. The quarantine area on your farm is very important,see how to manage a new horse;http://www.thehorse.com/articles/27924/creating-a-horse-quarantine?utm_source=Newsletter&utm_medium=in-depth&utm_campaign=09-18-2015

PERSONAL HYGIENE ; A KEY TO DISEASE PREVENTION IN FARMS.

Bio security is a set of protocols that are simple but specific that positively influence animal health,public health and ensure food safety. Personal hygiene is a key player in biosecurity.

 Personal hygiene plays a vital role in disease prevention. The use of protective clothing and shoes is a major way to stay safe and keep flock clean.

 The protective clothing could be disposable or reusable and the level protection required will depend on the case at hand. The normal protective clothing for every day farm use include, the overalls,gloves and boots.

The level of protection becomes more sophisticated in outbreak cases, where disposable protective clothing are worn.

There is also the use of nose guards/respirators, gloves and boots. The use of protective clothing and boots is coupled with hand washing and disinfection. The clothes and boots are to be washed and disinfected after every use.


 HAND WASHING: this can be done with soap hand sanitizers and disinfectants.The wash bowls should be placed at key points in the farm,and washing should be done before you enter farm and handle birds.

 Alcohol swipes also come in handy after washing, these can be used to ensure the hands are clean and germ free.

Foot dip.and vats filled with disinfectant are placed at entry of farms ,the disinfectants should be changed at regular intervals changed at regular intervals.

BIO SECURITY MEASURES IN FARM PRACTICE.

The power to stop the bird flu virus lies in our hands; practice good hygiene,isolation of affected victims, quarantine and depopulation of affected farms, cooking of poultry/ poultry products. Wash hands thoroughly when youve handled poultry, do not touch dead birds. Use potent disinfectant as part of your bio-security protocol. IT ALL STARTS WITH YOUR HANDS; TOUCHING# HOLDING# CARRYING# LIFTING# TRANSFER# ; so stop the virus with your hands. ALL hands on deck; use VIRKON® S, and most important key wash hands regularly and sanitize them. HANDS ON! STOP THE BIRD FLU VIRUS!.

STOP BIRD FLU!!!

The avian influenza virus ravaging poultry in some countries now and death of humans in other countries, have been linked to migratory birds that harbor the virus.The interaction of the migratory birds/ waterfowl/game birds with the domestic birds results in the fulminating HPAI infection. The virus is spread from bird to bird and flock to flock by direct/indirect contact with droppings & secretions and contaminated feed/water. The virus can be stopped by practicing basic bio security protocol, isolation and hand hygiene. The virus can be stopped in the following ways; 1) Curb smuggling of exotic birds into the country. 2) Strict custom regulations concerning import of poultry products/ birds from countries battling with the virus. 3)Enhanced bio-security in farms, live bird markets,and slaughter houses. 4)Avoid contact with infected carcasses and proper disposal of affected birds. 5)Active surveillance of farms/live bird markets/slaughter houses. 6) Early diagnosis and commencement of treatment using Tamiflu,in human subjects. 7)Mass sensitization of citizens on the virus, its mode of spread,signs of infection, and prevention strategies. 8)Hand washing policy in daily activities, the importance should be emphasized to the citizens. 9)Wear protective clothing if you work with birds. 10)wear mask,gloves if you work in an hospital,attending to infected humans. 11) Site poultry away from living quarters. 12)Control human and vehicular traffic to farms. The bird flu can be stopped, lets stop it together. BE PROACTIVE! STOP THE BIRD FLU VIRUS! USE VIRKON® S,ITS A POTENT DISINFECTANT! USE IT NOW! ITS IN YOUR HANDS.

UNCONVENTIONAL ROUTES OF INFECTION WITH BIRD FLU VIRUS.

UNCONVENTIONAL ROUTES OF INFECTION WITH THE AVIAN INFLUENZA VIRUS. The H5N1 strain of the bird flu virus has been identified as the highly pathogenic strain that also affects man and if not properly managed can result in death. There are many routes of possible infection with the bird flu virus but some subtle unconventional routes are also a major cause of concern, these include the following; 1) Visitors on farm premises. 2) Exchange of farm tools and implements with neighborhood farmers. 3) Absence of foot dips, hand dips and washing points in farms, feed mills and drug stores. 4) Absence of proper litter management. 5) Contaminated feed stuff. 6) Water pollution. 7) Lack of proper waste disposal/manure. Non restriction of visitors to farm site is a major source of spread of diseases not only avian influenza but also other diseases. Visitors moving in and out of farm site act as fomites bringing in loads of pathogenic organisms setting up a foci of infection in the farm site. 

Most visitors come through other farms thus bringing in pathogenic organism from one point to another. Visitors must be barred from farm sites to forestall introduction of pathogens.

 2) Exchange of farm tools and implements with neighborhood farms, may appear inconsequential but it’s a grave risk as pathogens are exchanged freely between farms. A simple gesture of exchange of tools is a breech on bio security protocol that must be prevented. 

 3) Absence foot dips, tyre dips and hand dips, this is a major route of infection. Many farms don’t have tyre dips, neither do they spray tyres with disinfectants, before allowing such vehicles on farm premises. The hand dips are very important, a worker that has handled contaminated matter but have refused to wash and dip hands in disinfectant solution is a ready source for spread of infection. Farmers that have dips , don’t use proven disinfectants of high potency to prevent infection. The dips with disinfectants are not replenished at regular intervals, thus making a mockery of the whole process. 

 4) litter management is very important in poultry as a lot of pathogens arise from poor litter management. Farmers don’t usually take care of their litter especially in case of wetness. 

The most important aspect of litter management is litter treatment. The litter can be treated using potent disinfectant, this can be used in the powdery forms and sprayed on litter. When turned, this will kill any incubating pathogen without any detrimental effect on birds. 

 Waste disposal/manure; waste disposal management on the farm is another point of concern, as many farmers don’t dispose their waste properly, leaving them open on farm without any form of treatment on the farm, thus allowing flies and other pathogenic organisms breed in that area causing a nucleus of infection right on the farm. Some farmers bag their waste, but still don’t treat the areas where the bags are kept which is still a point of infection. 

The farmers that bag and prepare to sell make the mistake of allowing merchants to come in to the farm with their sacks to procure manure. This is also another route of infection, as the sacks brought in may harbor pathogens. Water pollution. 

 The water source is also another point of infection, and a major route of infection. If water source or point is not well covered, allowing birds to defecate in it thus contaminating the water source. The water source must also be disinfected to ensure safety , and prevent pathogenic organisms from infecting birds and contaminating floors and drinkers.

MEAT AND HUMAN HEALTH.

Human health is impacted by various factors hinged on animal health. It has been discovered that 60% of diseases in humans are caused by pathogens of animal origin,hence animal health is really human health. 

The various animal pathogen can affect man through consumption of their products and byproducts,hence proper handling,processing and packaging are very essential. Food handling plays a vital role in food safety and every protocol to ensure that meat is wholesome and fit for human consumption must be put in place.

The health status of the animals from the farm to slaughter is very important and must be addressed.Adequate inspection of carcasses in abattoirs is key to meat safety and consumption of wholesome meat and meat products . 

 Meat presented for sale must be clean,odorless,with no swellings/pus exuding.Meat must be hygienically processed and packaged before being adjudged wholesome and fit for human consumption. 

These pictures show diseased animal organs that should never be consumed,but condemned and discarded. MEAT AND HUMAN HEALTH.

BIO-SECURITY.

BIO-SECURITY : KEY TO DISEASE PREVENTION.

Poultry health management is important due to emergence of highly pathogenic diseases like Highly Pathogenic Avian influenza (HPAI) in different parts of the world.

Bio-security measures are vital for better performance in the poultry sector. Bio-security has three major components: isolation, traffic control and sanitation. When new chicks arrive, it must be quarantined for three weeks in respective farms. Sick birds must be kept in isolation.

 Different age /sex groups are placed separately to minimize the risk of disease spread. Poultry health management and treatment procedure must organize means of isolation.

New birds represent a great risk to bio-security because their disease status is unknown. They may have an infection or be susceptible to an infection that is already present in the birds.

FOOD HYGIENE.

Washing goes along way to prevent food borne illness,wash hands,utensils and produce you want to cook.

FOOD SAFETY.

FOOD SAFETY. This is the season of enjoyment, fun and lots and lots of party. There will be lots of cooking, shopping, freezing and storage. The process of handling food should be done with care to prevent bacteria growth and contamination to prevent the risk of food borne illness. Food safety refers to practical steps to ensure proper handling, processing, packing and delivery of foods such that only wholesome foods get to consumers. The discussion will be on 3 levels; 1) Purchase. 2) Processing. 3) Storage. Purchase: when you want to buy use smell , color and shape as a guide. If the meat/poultry/ fish is off color don’t buy. If the meat/fish/poultry has an offensive smell don’t buy. If the pack is damaged don’t buy, the product is probably contaminated. If product is thawed instead of frozen don’t buy. When buying canned foods; Don’t buy canned foods that have a leak. Don’t buy canned foods that are bulging on a side. Don’t buy canned foods in rusty containers. Don’t buy cans without proper labels. Processing; Wash your hands always. Wash hands before you touch products you want to cook. Wash all tools, utensils you intend to use. Wash and clean surfaces of table where you want to work. Wash meat/ fish/poultry you want to cook with clean water. Wash fruits and vegetables for salads and stews properly. Storage. Don’t store raw meat/fish /poultry with cooked food. Keep salads fresh and refrigerated. Keep stews ,sauces and gravies very hot, serve immediately after cooking.