Newcastle Disease (NCD)

It is the hot season and Newcastle Disease (NCD) will be a farmer's nightmare especially if vaccinations were not done.

NCD is a viral disease. There are mild forms and virulent forms of the disease. Meaning there are different strains of the virus that cause NCD.

Many farmers have shared the vaccination schedule on this platform and hope you are adhering to it. The formula for calculating the volume of water to be used for the dosing has also been shared.

Remember NCD will affect the respiratory, digestive and nervous system of the birds. These are the clinical signs:

Respiratory System: Sneezing, gasping for air, coughing, nasal discharge.
Digestive System: Greenish watery diarrhoea.
Nervous System: Twisted head and neck, circling, complete stiffness, paralysis.
Other Signs: Swelling around the eyes and neck, decreased activity, tremors, drooping of wings.

If birds are not vaccinated, NCD can wipe out 100% of your flock. Note that vaccination reduces mortality in the flock and provides the birds some immunity to fight the disease. So while some weaker birds may die even when vaccinated, others will survive.

For village chickens, vaccinate the birds every 3 months. If you did not vaccinate them in August please do so now.

Observe Biosecurity:

Don't allow anyone anytime to walk into your poultry housing units. Disinfect vehicle tyres on entry onto the farm. Place foot-baths at entry points to poultry houses with disinfectant and ensure everyone entering the poultry house dips their boots in there. (My worker is giving me headaches on this one).

Clean all feeding and drinking utensils with disinfectants, except when giving vaccines. Disinfect Poultry houses using virukil or ultraxide.

Remember, the NCD virus can survive in the chicken manure for 2 months and on your farm premises for a year. However, it is destroyed by chemicals.

Do not be cheated, once the birds are infected and have the disease, there is no cure. You can only give antibiotics to prevent secondary infection. Isolate sick birds as soon as possible, not less 10 metres away from healthy ones.

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