There are many potential causes of disease in poultry flocks, including pathogens, nutritional deficiencies, and poor management practices. Proper biosecurity aims to prevent disease transmission between flocks through preventative strategies that control disease-causing organisms and vectors. Key biosecurity practices include isolating flocks, restricting visitor and vehicle access, sanitizing equipment, maintaining good hygiene, and implementing a vaccination program tailored to the specific health risks facing each flock. Together, these measures can effectively control the spread of disease and protect poultry health.

1. Poultry Health and
Biosecurity

2. Cause of Diseases
• Disease
• Any deviation from normal physiological state
• Many cause of disease
• Pathogens
• bacteria, viruses, parasites, protozoa, fungi
• Nutritional deficiencies
• Chemical poisons
• Overmedication
• Poor management

3. Disease Prevention
• Two Types of disease in poultry
• Diseases that affect bird health
• Diseases that affect human health

4. Biosecurity
What is “Biosecurity”?
• Protecting your birds from disease
• Preventing or controlling disease transmission by vectors
What is a vector?
• Something that may transmit a disease
• Rodents, birds, insects, shoes, car tires, shared equipment, best friend, pet,
feed, water, dust, air….

5. Biosecurity
• Preventative strategies to control disease causing organisms and their
carriers (vectors).
• Protection of poultry flocks from any type of infectious agent.
• Control transmission of disease from flock to flock.
• Biosecurity is the cheapest, most effective means of disease control
available.

6. Why should I be concerned about
biosecurity?
• Because of what might happen:
• Disease and high mortality in flocks
• Infected flocks euthanized
• Loss of income for producers
• Higher prices of poultry meat and eggs
• Quarantines and restricted movement/sale of birds
• Cancellation of poultry shows

7. Biosecurity Monitoring Points
• Humans
• Equipment
• Environment
• Animals
• Contaminated eggs and chicks
• Contaminated feed

8. Environmental Routes of Disease
Transmission
• Environmental contaminants:
• wind
• water
• dust
• feathers
• manure
• Drying and sunlight are very effective at killing many disease causing
organisms.

9. Good Biosecurity Practices
•Keep pets, wild birds and animals and other livestock away
from the flock
•No trading or purchase of untested birds – quarantine new
birds
•Use dedicated footwear/clothing or disposable coveralls and
boot covers when checking your birds
•Hand washing before and after handling birds, manure, coops,
eggs, etc.

10. isolation Measures
• Confine flocks to controlled environment
• Screen houses to protect flock from wild birds
• Avoid contact with migratory waterfowl and other birds
• Restrict visitors
• Do not share equipment, coops or leftover feed

11. Reduce exposure Risks
• Control vector habitat and attractants
• birds
• rodents
• varmints
• insects
• Make sure pen is animal and bird proof

12. Maintain Flock health
• Minimize stressors to prevent increased susceptibility to disease
• Fresh feed
• Clean water
• Clean, dry litter
• Good ventilation
• Provide an overall comfortable environment

13. Cleaning and Sanitation
• Five steps to cleaning and disinfection (C&D)
1. Dry Clean (remove all organic matter)
2. Soap
3. Rinse
4. Dry
5. Disinfect

14. Disease/Health Checks
• Watch for symptoms such as:
• Coughing, sneezing, watery eyes, ruffled feathers, loss of feathers, excessive
picking, labored breathing and sudden drops in production and feed or water
consumption
• Eliminate unhealthy or nonproductive birds
• Check birds periodically for lice, mites, and worms

15. Vaccination
Vaccination program (Design)
• Program must be based on veterinary advice tailored to specific local
challenges based on health of birds
• Single or combined vaccines must be selected according to age and health
status of flock
Vaccine Administration
• Follow manufacture recommendations for product handling & methods of
administration
• Properly trained vaccinators should be allowed to vaccinate the birds
• Maintain vaccination records