Zambia Agribusiness Society

This aspect of poultry management must receive constant, close attention. Failure to maintain a high standard of disease prevention will usually result into unhealthy flock. The basis of poultry health management is: 1.     The isolation of the flock from disease causing organisms – quarantine, including fencing, restricting movement in and out, avoiding any attractants of wild birds, avoiding domesticated local and ornamental birds etc. 2.     The destruction of as many harmful organisms as possible – hygiene. Including use of tyre baths that have a strong disinfectant, footbaths with a strong disinfectant, misting the poultry house, portioning the farm into a buffer and clean area, etc. 3.     The use of an appropriate vaccination program – trigger the birds’ immune system. And after vaccination; 4.     The use of appropriate preventive medication programs – for diseases for which there are no vaccines. Avoid dusty litter, create enough ventilation, avoid spillage of feed a

Today I want to share my experience in poultry on disease control and biosecurity on farms. Most diseases are brought onto the farm. Very rarely do disease emerge on the farm. This is why biosecurity is very important. Disease can be defined as lack of ease; any abnormality in the state of normal health is in effect disease. Sometimes in our excitement to show off our progress, we have allowed visitors into or near our chicken runs without carrying out proper biosecurity safety measures: 1.     Do not allow visitors or anyone not working at the poultry house have access to your chickens. 2.     All poultry workers should have uniforms, two pairs. One for working inside the poultry houses; only take it home for washing and another for outside the poultry house. Same with boots. 3.     Encourage poultry workers to bath before they start a new day. If possible provide bath facilities and soap at the farm. 4.     Put footbaths at entry pointes to poultry houses and also for v