POULTRY FARM BIOSECURITY

S.T.Moubarak
Cairo University
Faculty Of Veterinary Medicine


:

:

906 .2008

)10 (2

840 23/3/2005 238 26/1/2003 .

1144 .2009

5839
.31/8/2009

) (1 1144 .2009

WHAT IS BIOSECURITY?
Biosecurity:
Actions

and procedures taken to protect a

population from transmittable diseases.

Biosecurity Program:
A

program of policies and procedures

that prevent the introduction and spread
of disease-causing organisms

ON-FARM BIOSECURITY
Bioexclusion

Application of health control measures to

prevent introduction and spread of new
infectious agents into flocks.

Biocontainment

Preventing the spread of current and

existing pathogen amongst animal groups
within a farm or the release from the farm.

POULTRY SECTORS DEFINITIONS

Sector 1: Industrial integrated system.

Sector 2: Large commercial poultry production
system with moderate to high biosecurity.
Sector 3: Small to medium commercial poultry
production system with low to minimal
biosecurity.
Sector 4: Village or backyard production with
minimal biosecurity.
6

JUDGING THE RISK

Low

Sector 4
Sector 3
Sector 2

High

Sector 1
Risk of incursion

Risk of
Spreading

Requirements and Opportunities

opportunities for
for Control
Biosecurity

SOCIO-ECONOMIC REALITIES

Any

biosecurity measure that is

recommended must take into account
the socio-economic realities of those who
will be expected to implement it.

SOCIOECONOMIC ISSUES
Three sets of questions need to be asked for each
actor in the production and marketing chain
when designing a biosecurity plan:
1. To whom are poultry important
2. What might/will people be prepared to do to
improve biosecurity?
3. How much can people afford to spend on
biosecurity, who should pay for what and what
balance between incentives and penalties that
may be needed?

 It

makes sense to tackle biosecurity

through incremental steps, where the
biggest risks are tackled first and provide
an incentive to continue, and each
additional step provides further benefits.

COUNTRY EXPERIENCES
Biosecurity of small producers
(Egypt, Vietnam, Cameroon, Togo)

No clear understanding of HPAI and its spread

Limited or no changes of husbandry practices and

biosecurity.

Difficulties for the veterinary services to reach the small

producer.

Importance of training and awareness to reach the

producer.

Restrictions for live bird markets have created difficulties

for small producers .

Need for building trust and good relationship between

authorities and producers.
11

BIOSECURITY

Conceptual

Biosecurity (Site Planning)

Construction
Operation

Biosecurity (Farm Design)

Biosecurity (Day to Day running)

CONCEPTUAL BIOSECURITY

Involves

Site planning.

Location

e.g. proximity to other farms,

transport etc.

Almost

impossible to change once

committed without very high cost.

STRUCTURAL BIOSECURITY

Concerns

the design of the farm and

buildings.

Includes

house design (easy to clean), site

layout and security.

Expensive

to change once built.

OPERATIONAL BIOSECURITY

The

points involved with day to day

running of the site.

Includes

routine disinfection, control of

visitors, source of stock etc.

Can

be modified at low cost according to

requirements.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

Keeping out poultry diseases such as avian

influenza and Newcastle disease.
Reducing the risk of zoonotic diseases such as
salmonella.
Protecting your neighbours, public health and
the countryside.
Improving overall flock health.
Cutting costs of disease treatment.

HOW DOES DISEASE SPREAD?

Movement of poultry, people, vehicles and
equipment between and within farms.
Introduction of birds of low or unknown health
status.
Contact with neighbours flocks.
Shared farm equipment and vehicles.
Contact with vermin and wild birds.
Contaminated feed or water.
Unsatisfactory cleansing and disinfection of
vehicles, sheds, feeding troughs and other
equipment.

Factors influencing Biosecurity

WHAT MAKES A BIOSECURITY

PLAN EFFECTIVE?
A

good biosecurity plan is like a chain: All

the links must be in good condition. If
even one link is broken, the chain wont
work.

AN EFFECTIVE BIOSECURITY PLAN:

Defines objectives and responsibilities.

Assigns the responsibilities to individuals.

Provides for the supervision of individuals

assigned with those responsibilities.

Isolates a farm so that infectious diseases

can be prevented from entering or leaving it.

Can be adjusted as local conditions change

and as disease threats change regionally.

To develop an effective biosecurity plan, everyone

who works on a poultry farm should think about
disease during each workday.
Once a plan is developed, it should be reviewed
and discussed with:

Employees who see the plan in action daily.

Experts from outside the farm.

WHAT ARE THE FUNDAMENTALS OF

AN EFFECTIVE BIOSECURITY PLAN?

1. LIMIT ACCESS TO THE FARM.

Many people move between poultry houses
and farms.
They include:
- supervisors,
- veterinarians,
- vaccination crews, catching crews,
- electricians,
- feed truck drivers, and other similar
visitors.
Keep their visits to a minimum.
Visits should be planned for a reason, not as
a pastime.

2. KEEP TRAFFIC UNDER STRICT

CONTROLS.
Establish a buffer zone around the farm
and use perimeter fencing to keep people
and other vectors out.
Use No Trespassing signs at farm
entrances.
Lock gates, houses, and main entrances if
possible.
Install properly managed spray stations
(Sanitary Arcs).

OUTSIDE PERIMETER

SANITARY ARC

SANITARY ARC

 Make sure that all go through the wash station

before and after leaving the farm.
Maintain good biosecurity control of feed
trucks:
Disinfect all trucks entering the farm.
Do not allow the driver to leave the truck or
wander around the farm.
Take a feed sample from each truckload, and
store it for future reference in case disease or
performance problems should occur.

3. TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS

WHEN PEOPLE DO VISIT THE FARM.
They can transmit diseases from one farm
to another via dust on hands, hair, and
clothing.
Exclude visitors who have been near
poultry facilities within the previous 24
hours.
Prohibit farm social visits.
Maintain visitor records.
Make visitors wear boots and coveralls
while on the farm.

 Make sure that all visitors use footbaths

when entering the farm and moving from
one area of the farm to another.
Make sure that all visitors wash their
hands with soap and water.
Make sure that all visitors take showers.
Teach all employees how to handle
visitors.

4. LIMIT VISITS TO OTHER FARMS AND

POULTRY-RELATED LOCATIONS.
Hands, hair, and clothing can be
contaminated with dust, which contains
microorganisms that transmit diseases from
one farm to another. Make sure that
everyone who works at the farm follows
these practices:
Do not wear hats or caps when visiting a
farm.
Use clean coveralls and boots every time
you visit a different farm. Change them
after every visit.
Stay away from other poultry and other
people who work with poultry.

5. MAKE SURE THAT ALL WORKERS

PRACTICE GOOD SANITATION.
Always wear boots and coveralls on the
farm.
Never wear hats and caps on the farm.
Clean footbaths daily, and fill them with
fresh disinfectant.
Clean and disinfect all equipment on a
regular basis.
Do not move equipment between farms and
buildings without first cleaning and
disinfecting it.

Do not keep birds as pets, or any type of

backyard bird or flock.
Establish effective control programs for
insects, wild birds, and mammals, especially
rodents and other pests.
Keep driveways clean.
Routinely inspect work areas and the
entrances.

6. FOLLOW RECOMMENDED SANITARY

PRACTICES FOR HEALTHY POULTRY FLOCKS.

Visit poultry houses in an established

sequence: Visit the youngest flock first,
then move on to the older flocks, and finally
visit the sick flocks (if necessary).
Dont leave one flock house and enter
another without using a footbath.
Allow for adequate cleaning time
between flocks.

Clean flock environments thoroughly

as each flock is moved, including:
poultry houses
equipment
Accessory buildings
dead bird disposal areas

Dispose of dead birds properly

through:

rendering
burial in designated areas
incineration
composting

7. PREVENT CROSS-CONTAMINATION.

Obtain a proper disease diagnosis on any

suspected bird.
Identify farms with disease problems.
Establish high risk areas for problem
farms.
Establish truck routes to prevent crosscontamination between farms.

8. ESTABLISH REGULAR CLEANING AND

DISINFECTING PROCEDURES.

Disinfect flock environments on a regular

basis (Concurrent and Terminal).
Disinfection reduces the pathogens in the
flock environment, which thereby reduces
the risk of disease.
Disinfecting involves two steps: cleaning
and applying a disinfectant. Always clean
first. If the area is not cleaned thoroughly,
the disinfectant will not work.

ITS A NUMBERS GAME

CFUs per square inch
Dirty house
3,000,000
Blow down
2,900,000
Air out
2,000,000
Wash-water
500,000
Wash-detergent
100,000
Disinfect
1,000

9. CHOOSE THE RIGHT DISINFECTANT.

A disinfectants effectiveness at destroying

various pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi,
and protozoa) depends on its chemical
composition, its mode of action, and the
type of organism. Some disinfectants do not
kill all types of microorganisms.

 Consider the following characteristics when

choosing a disinfectant.

efficacy (killing action)

toxicity

cost

activity with organic matter present

residual activity

effects on fabrics and metal surfaces

activity with soap

solubility (acidity, alkalinity, pH)

contact time

temperature

10. APPLY THE DISINFECTANT PROPERLY:

For the period of time specified on the label.
No disinfectant works instantaneously. All
require a certain amount of contact time to be
effective.
At the appropriate temperature and
concentration.
Clean .. Clean Clean .

In other words, You Cannot Disinfect Dirt.

11. MONITOR

Take bacterial counts before and after

cleaning and disinfecting flock
environments to be sure pathogens were
destroyed.

12. ESTABLISH GOOD COMMUNICATION AND

TRAINING PRACTICES AMONG EMPLOYEES AT
ALL LEVELS.

It is very important for growers,

supervisors, and employees to communicate
with each other so they can exchange
information and answer questions.
Through good communication, owners and
supervisors can determine when training is
needed and provide it.