What is Biosecurity?

Biosecurity on a farm refers to a set of practices and measures implemented to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases among the flock and between farms. It involves implementing various protocols, procedures, and preventive measures to reduce the risk of disease transmission, both from external sources and within the farm itself to keep your flock healthy and free from diseases that could negatively impact their growth and your farm's profitability.

Why is Biosecurity Important?

There are numerous health challenges in any form of livestock farming. Without proper biosecurity, the flock is vulnerable to diseases that can spread rapidly and cause significant losses. The lack of biosecurity measures can often be one of the main reasons for high mortality, high morbidity, and low productivity. Here are reasons why you need biosecurity on your farm:

• Disease Prevention: Farms are prone to a variety of diseases which can spread quickly, especially when hygiene and biosecurity protocols are not followed. Biosecurity minimises the risk of these diseases reaching your farm.
• Healthier Flock: A disease-free environment leads to healthier flock, reducing mortality rates and improving production.
• Better Farming:As a farmer, you’ll have better control of your farm. You will also produce safer products for consumption.

Benefits of Biosecurity

• Improved Production: Healthy flocks grow faster and produce more, boosting productivity and profitability.
• Reduced Costs: By preventing diseases, you can avoid expensive treatments or medication costs to treat sick birds on the farm.

• Enhanced Reputation: A reputation for having disease-free, high-quality produce can attract more customers and increase market access.

Types of Biosecurity

Biosecurity can be broken down into two main types: chemical and physical. Both types work together to form a robust defense system for your farm.

Chemical Biosecurity: involves the use of chemicals to control disease-causing agents like bacteria, viruses and fungi examples include;

• Disinfection: Regularly disinfect equipment, surfaces, and housing using effective chemicals like iodine or chlorine-based disinfectants. It is very important that the exact instructions and dilutions of the products are followed else they are not effective.

• Water: The water and drinkers on your farm can be a source of contamination. It is important to wash your drinkers frequently to avoid a biofilm from forming (a slimy layer where germs are present).

• Pest Control: Use insecticides or rodenticides to control pests like rats and flies, which can carry diseases into flock houses. Be sure to follow the instructions carefully.

• Medication and Vaccination: Administering appropriate medications and vaccines as part of a preventive health program to protect the flock from specific diseases.
• Foot Bath: A foot bath is a container placed at the entrance of the farm and the poultry house that contains a disinfection chemical that is diluted with water. A footbath is one of the most effective tools on a small scale farm to practice biosecurity.

Physical Biosecurity: Physical biosecurity involves strategies to physically prevent the introduction of pathogens into your farm

• Controlled Access: Controlling and limiting access to your poultry house by friends and family, vehicles, or animals to prevent the introduction of potential pathogens which may result in disease spread. It is important to keep your chickens away from members in your family and community as much as possible. Do not sell your chickens straight from your poultry house as this increases the risk of spreading disease to your birds.

• Perimeter Fencing and secure structures: Having a fence around your poultry house is helpful in keeping unwanted visitors outside the poultry house. It is important to keep other animals out of the poultry house such as dogs, cats, ducks, etc. Ensure the poultry house does not have holes where these animals can enter. Ensure that rodents such as mice and rats cannot enter the poultry house as they may also carry diseases to your flock.

• Isolation Areas: Implementing a separate area in your poultry house to isolate and quarantine sick or new animals before introducing them to the main flock. Always remember to wash your hands immediately after handling a sick bird.
• Sanitation and Hygiene: Regular cleaning and disinfection of houses, equipment, vehicles, and footwear to eliminate or reduce the presence of disease-causing organisms.

• Protective Clothing: It is common practice on large farms to have different clothing for entering the poultry houses and to take showers before and after entering the poultry house. In the smallholder setting, this is not always possible. We recommend that farmers keep a different set of shoes to wear in the poultry house that are never worn outside the poultry house. If it is possible to use a different set of clothes for the poultry house, it is advisable to do so. Wash the shoes and clothing regularly to keep them clean.

Cleaning your Poultry House Between Flocks

In future articles we will discuss the detailed steps of cleaning a poultry house. Keep in mind it is strongly advised to clear a poultry house entirely between flocks. A wet wash and disinfection procedure should be followed and the poultry house should be left empty to dry. The poultry house should be empty for 14 days between flocks wherever possible to eradicate any diseases from the previous flock.

Conclusion

Biosecurity is essential in poultry management. It not only protects birds from disease, but also protects the production and profitability of the farm. Biosecurity is not only about the farm, but it is also about caring for our neighboring farms and limiting the spread of disease between farms as much as possible.