Poultry disease prevention checklist
website builder 04 August 2014
Dr Casey Ritz of the University of Georgia presents a checklist for poultry farmers to assess the biosecurity risk on their farm.
Disease prevention is much less stressful and costly than disease control and recovery. Biosecurity measures are a critical component of disease prevention.
Use the list below to rate your disease prevention practices and preparedness.
Check the box for all questions to which you can answer “yes”. A score of 80 or better is outstanding, 70 to 79 excellent, 60 to 69 good, 50 to 59 just fair, and 49 or less indicates a definite need for improvement.
Score |
A. Score 5 points for each “yes” answer. |
My farm is isolated from other poultry facilities. | |
My poultry houses are set back at least 200 feet from public roads. | |
Access deterrents are in place such as warning signs at entrances, perimeter fencing or gated driveways. | |
My buildings are secured with locks. | |
My employees do not own poultry. | |
No other avian species are kept on my property. | |
I have a pest management programme to control mice, rats and other pests. |
Score |
B. Score 4 points for each “yes” answer. |
My birds are observed every day for abnormal symptoms and overall flock health. | |
I routinely analyze my poultry production, feed consumption, and mortality records for signs of problems. | |
Dead birds are picked up daily from the houses for appropriate disposal. | |
My farm has secure dead bird disposal, with no access to birds or animals. | |
Vehicles or people cannot enter my farm or poultry houses without my permission or knowledge. | |
Visitors must park vehicles in a designated area and sign a logbook. |
Score |
C. Score 3 points for each “yes” answer. |
My poultry housing is animal and wild-bird proof. | |
All tools and equipment are cleaned and disinfected before coming on my farm. | |
Production houses are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected between flocks. | |
Production house entryways are routinely cleaned and disinfected. | |
Disinfectant footbaths are at each entryway of every facility and are routinely cleaned and recharged. | |
Debris and vegetation are cleaned up and kept clear of the production facilities. | |
Feed spills are cleaned up quickly when they occur. | |
For necessary visitors, I provide clean coveralls and boots. | |
My employees do not travel to other poultry premises not under my control. |
Score |
D. Score 2 points for each “yes” answer. |
All utility and service vehicles entering my farm are properly sanitized before entry and the drivers do not enter the poultry houses. | |
Farm employees work only in assigned areas; they do not go to other areas of the farm. | |
Dead birds are not carried from house to house. | |
Poultry waste from other farms is never spread on the fields adjacent to my farm. | |
I have instructed my employees and service personnel about poultry disease and on-farm prevention measures. |
Score |
E. Score 1 point for each “yes” answer. |
Household pets are kept away from the poultry buildings. | |
I have implemented a fly control programme for my farm. | |
I follow all company-implemented disease prevention measures on my farm. | |
I regularly attend educational programmes to keep abreast of new developments in disease control. | |
TOTAL (Perfect score = 100) |
Article courtesy of thepoultrysite.com
Posted on September 15, 2014