Biosecurity

DOVER, Del - According to an article in the Delmarva Farmer, prior to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza being confirmed in a commercial poultry flock in Delaware on Feb. 23, multiple cases of of Eurasian H5 HPAI were detected in wild birds in Delaware on Feb. 16, as the bird flu continues to spread in the United States.

DOVER, Del - According to an article in the Delmarva Farmer, prior to Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza being confirmed in a commercial poultry flock in Delaware on Feb. 23, multiple cases of of Eurasian H5 HPAI were detected in wild birds in Delaware on Feb. 16, as the bird flu continues to spread in the United States.

The possibility of an avian influenza (AI) outbreak on the Delmarva is scary. The recent HPAI outbreaks in Delaware and Maryland resulted in more than two   million birds at commercial poultry flocks being affected. Infected birds are euthanized to help contain the disease, resulting in large economic loss to both the grower and  integrator.

HPAI is dangerous to Commercial Poultry Growers and Backyard Growers

Disinfectants are agents applied to non-living objects to reduce the number of unwanted microorganisms to a safe level. Using disinfectants should be a routine part of daily farm sanitation. Sanitation includes the substances or methods used to destroy microorganisms in order to maintain a healthy, disease-free environment. Sanitation methods prevent unwanted organisms from coming back after disinfectants have been applied.

How to Protect the Health of Your Flock (in Spanish) 12 Points

Instructions on how to keep your flock protected when Avian Diseases are in the area.

A footbath is a very simple form of biosecurity that helps prevent the potential spread of disease. Organisms have the potential to survive for several days or weeks in the dirt stuck to the bottom of your shoes. Footbaths can eliminate these organisms.

Controlling traffic on and around the farm can present quite a challenge to flock owners. Yet once implemented, it dramatically reduces the threat of disease. Traffic may include vehicles, people and other animals (such as pets) that move around on the farm. Communicating with personnel who come onto the property about biosecurity measures that have been established is essential.

Isolation is used to help prevent the spread of disease. Confinement is the main way to isolate and separate your birds. Many people worry that isolating their birds will be difficult. Isolation is when a bird(s) is separated away from the rest of the flock. It is simple and can be accomplished several ways.