ZOOT 2120 - Poultry Production and Herd Health Management

ZOOT 2120
Poultry Biosecurity &
Other Poultry Production Module 4
Prepared by: Ren Lenard N. Valdez, DVM

OVERVIEW
This module will elaborate the biosecurity in poultry production, its effective and
economic way to control poultry diseases, also other poultry production commonly
practiced in the Philippines.

I. OBJECTIVES

Upon completion of this module, you are expected to:

1. Classify the proper biosecurity methods used in poultry production

2. Determine and classify the different poultry production other than chicken and
duck production.

II. LEARNING ACTIVITIES

BIOSECURITY

The intensification of poultry production, with bigger farms and higher bird densities,
has increased the level of infection pressure in poultry farms, resulting in higher risk of
endemic and epidemic diseases with substantial economic consequences. Biosecurity in
poultry production is the most effective and economic way to control poultry diseases.
Basic rules of biosecurity for any poultry unit include correct choice of geographical
location of the farm, proper design of the buildings and positioning of equipment, well-
planned operational protocols, focusing on potential sources of infection and the flow of
people, materials, feed, eggs and flocks to and from the farm. When designing

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successful biosecurity programs, it is important to include education of all personnel

involved in the operations of the unit.

A. Geographical location of the poultry farm

There are a few basic elements to take into consideration when setting up a poultry
farm. First of all, it is essential to be aware of the location of all farming units in the
planned area. The best strategy when building the new farm is to keep as far away from
any other commercial (poultry) farming units and also processing plants as possible.
This will limit natural transmission of pathogens. It is also essential to be aware of the
prevailing wind currents. Wild birds can be an important source of infection, and areas
with a lot of forest or water, around lakes, rivers or moors should be avoided therefore.

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B. Structural layout of the poultry farm and buildings

Ideally, the buildings should be as far away as possible from roads, along which poultry,
feed or litter are transported. The buildings should be secure from wild birds, rodents
and insects that may be carriers of Salmonella, Mycoplasma and other diseases. The
entrance to the buildings should be made of solid and cleanable surfaces. Soil contains
a lot of organic material, where pathogens can survive longer and can easily be carried
inside the house. A ‘hygiene lock’ must be provided at the entrance of each building,
with a clear separation between clean and dirty section, a wash basin to wash and
disinfect hands and clean clothes and footwear.

C. Potential sources of infection and operational flow on the farm

Identification of potential sources of infection and ensuring the proper control of all
material and people entering and leaving the poultry unit are the fundamental aspects

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of biosecurity. A first rule is that diseases must be kept outside. The second important
biosecurity rule is that diseases that have been brought inside, also should stay inside.

Potential source of harmful micro-organisms

a. Introduction through humans

There are many ways in which micro-organisms can be introduced into farms.
One of the potential vectors for the introduction of disease into farms are
humans. People can carry pathogens into farms and within farms between
houses, on footwear and clothes. The visitors should be given clean clothing and
boots; they should wash and disinfect their hands and if possible, take a shower.
Farm personnel should also change clothes and footwear between houses.

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b. Introduction through equipment and vehicles

Equipment and delivery vehicles can also be important sources of infection.

Trucks that transport poultry, eggs or feed must be cleaned, washed and
disinfected each time before loading. The vehicles should be disinfected at the
entrance of the farm. Vaccination instruments and other equipment should not
be taken inside the house without first being cleaned and disinfected.

c. Feed

Another way that pathogens can be introduced into poultry farms is via feed. It
can be contaminated with pathogens (e.g. Salmonella) through ingredients,
during production, delivery or storage. A feed sample must be kept from each
delivery batch until the end of the production cycle

d. Birds

Carrier birds can also contribute to the introduction and spread of pathogens in
farms. Multi-age farms harbor a serious risk of disease from both infected birds
and recovered carriers. Layer pullets that have been reared on separate premises
and exposed to infection can become carriers of some diseases not existing on
the layer farms and introduce new pathogens to a production site.

e. Disposal of dead birds and litter

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Dead chickens are a perfect medium for bacterial growth. Chickens are curious
and will pick on dead birds thus spreading more pathogens among the flock.
Dead birds must be collected at least twice a day as carcasses remain a source
of infection

f. Vermin

Mice and rats are important transmitters of poultry diseases including Salmonella
and Campylobacter. Feed, manure and rubbish should be kept outside the house
Insects can also be an important source of infection. Flies and beetles and their
larvae can spread pathogens.

D. Cleaning and disinfection protocols for poultry

1. Cleaning must precede disinfection since the potency of most disinfectants may
be greatly reduced by organic matter (e.g., dropping, feed dust accumulation).
2. Cleaning is best accomplished by the use of pressure hose with or without a
detergent.
3. Disinfectants do not act instantly, thus time must be allowed for their germicidal
effect.
4. Most disinfectants act more effectively when applied in solution, because
solutions penetrate a greater depth, thus killing more organisms.
5. A disinfectant intended for decontamination of buildings should work well in the
presence of a moderate amount of organic matter. It should be compatible with
soap or detergents, safe to building materials, and relatively non-toxic to man
and animals.
6. A disinfectant must be readily soluble even in hard water, effective against a wide

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variety of infectious agents (e.g., viruses, bacteria, fungi, protozoa), free from
objectionable or lingering odor, readily available, and inexpensive.

DISINFECTANTS FOR POULTRY FARMS

1. Phenolic compounds (e.g., cresol, orthophenyl-phenol, and corthobenzyl-

parachlophenol)
2. Organic iodine combinations /iodophores (e.g.,povidone-iodine)
3. Quaternary ammonium compounds/salts (e.g., benzalkonium chloride,
benzathonium chloride, cetyipyridinium chloride)
4. Hypochlorite (e.g., chlorine)
5. Combinations of organic acids, organic biocides, and surfactants
6. Glutaraldehyde-dimethylammonium chloride complex

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HEALTH MANAGEMENT TIPS

1. Raise only healthy and vigorous stocks.

2. Feed chicken with nutritionally balanced rations and provide fresh drinking water
at all times.
3. Implement a vaccination program for prevalent diseases. Follow strictly the
vaccination schedule
4. Provide comfortable housing with good ventilation and maintain clean
surroundings.
5. Construct poultry houses in such a way that wild birds and rodents, which may
serve as carriers of diseases, cannot enter.
6. Avoid overcrowding by providing adequate floor space and enough feeding and
watering spaces.
7. Fence the production area to provide ample protection against scavengers and
stray animals, which may be vectors of disease
8. Practice an all-in-all-out method of operation if possible. Clean and disinfect
poultry houses after depopulation and allow cleaned and disinfected buildings at
least2 weeks rest period before restocking.
9. Only flockmen should be allowed into the broiler houses. Visitors and other
unauthorized persons should stay off the production area.

E. Water quality in poultry houses

The main use for water in poultry farms is as drinking water for the birds. When a new
flock of day-old chicks arrives on the farm, the temperature in the houses is very high,
around 35°C. Because water consumption among small birds is very low the flow of the
water in the drinking pipes is also very low. In these circumstances even a small amount
of organic material in the drinking lines can promote bacterial growth and biofilm
production. A lot of different cleansing techniques are possible: chlorine, chlorine
dioxide, hydrogen peroxide, electrolysis, UV treatment, heat treatment, ozone and
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reverse osmosis, but chlorine, chlorine dioxide and hydrogen peroxide are the ones that
are used most frequently. Bacteriological analysis is also an important method for
evaluating water quality and safety. Below are the recommended chemicals commonly
seen and added to the water supply of poultry, take note the pH at 7.0 to 7.5 only.

F. Biosecurity aspects that are specific to the different production systems

a. Breeders
Breeder birds occupy the upper part of the poultry production pyramid, so the
level of biosecurity in breeder farms is generally higher than in production farms.
Another biosecurity risk are chicks in one house coming from different breeder
farms. Breeder birds must come from healthy grandparents and are monitored
for different pathogens

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b. Production farms: Broilers

Broilers grow very fast and there are usually 6-8 production cycles on a farm
within a year. Most of the broilers are kept in all-in allout production systems.
This means that the houses are emptied of birds and litter and cleaned and
disinfected after each cycle. One of the major biosecurity risks in broiler
production units is thinning (To avoid excessively high density of broilers per m2
some birds can be taken out). The catching teams and their equipment can easily
introduce pathogens into the broiler house. The catching teams and their
equipment can easily introduce pathogens into the broiler house but it is also a
substantial biosecurity risk. Transport crates and loaders must be clean also.

c. Production farms: Layers

Different housing systems exist for laying hens, with different biosecurity risks:
cages, aviary or barn systems; with and without free range. Most of the layers
worldwide are kept in cages. The cage system is the most efficient in terms of
production and biosecurity. In general, in cage systems, layers are exposed to
lower infection pressure and a lower variety of pathogens compared to floor and
free-range systems. The free-range area can harbour different intestinal
parasites, such as cestodes, nematodes and coccidosis. The free-range areThe
crates and containers used for transfer should be cleaned and disinfected.a can
harbour different intestinal parasites, such as cestodes, nematodes and
coccidosis.

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d. Production farms: Hatcheries

The hatchery has a central position in the poultry production chain in the spread
of pathogens: eggs collected from different breeder farms are processed to
deliver day-old chicks to different production farms. The major disadvantage of
this system in terms of biosecurity is the higher risk of cross-contamination
because of intermingling eggs from different origins. It is important to avoid air
flow from dirty to clean rooms, so opening doors should be kept to a minimum
and positive air pressure should be maintained in critical areas of the hatchery.
The hatchery is an ideal environment for pathogen multiplication. All essential
components necessary for growth of micro-organisms are available here:
nutrients, air, water and heat. Cleaning is very important and can remove at least
85% of microorganisms, the rest should be removed by disinfection. Regular
cleaning and keeping surfaces dry reduces the bacterial load.

Turkey, Quail, Pigeon, Geese and Ostrich Production

A. Turkey Production
Turkey raising in commercial scale is popular in the United States and in
many countries in Europe. In the tropics, turkey raising is mostly done on a
backyard scale. In the Philippines, a few head of turkey are raised in some farms
as a source of meat and eggs.

In the past, the raising of some exotic breeds of turkey in the Philippines
had been tried. Problems encountered on production and marketing of their
products limited the potential of this business. Their meat and eggs are usually
priced higher than that of chickens.

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Housing and Facilities

The native-type or local turkeys are provided with very simple housing.
Just like the native-type chickens under the scavenge-based system, the
simple shelter is used to protect them from inclement weather and predator
attacks.

The housing and facilities for exotic breeds of turkeys are very similar
to chickens. Turkeys are bigger in size than chickens, hence, require relatively
wider floor, feeding, and drinking space allowances. They could be raised in
the semi-confinement or complete confinement system. The brooder,
grower, and layer houses could be of the litter type or the elevated type.

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Full Confinement

Semi-Confinement

Brooding and Growing Management

Turkey hens are broody. They could hatch their eggs and brood their
young. In a backyard production, natural incubation and brooding could be
done. The hen and her brood should be confined during the first few days
after hatching to allow the poults to harden off thoroughly. A satisfactory

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brood coop should be provided. The turkey hen is confined in this coop during
the first month while the poults are allowed free use of the range on clear
sunny days after the dew on the grass has dried for better development.

Under intensive production, the brooding management for poults is

similar to that of chickens. However, the feeder, drinker, and floor space
requirements are larger due to size and rate of growth. Floor space
requirement at brooding is about 0.05 sq m per bird.

Other practices such as sexing, toe clipping, de-snooding, and beak

trimming are done during the early stage of the growing period.

B. Coturnix Quail Production

Coturnix quails are popularly used as laboratory animals. They are also
raised as a source of eggs and meat for consumption. They are raised in both
backyard and commercial levels. Quail raising is a popular livelihood because of
the small capital investment and space required. Moreover, there is a traditional
belief that quail products are much more nutritious than chicken products.

Grower and Layer House

For quails, the grower house could also be used as the laying house.
A 122 cm x 24.4 cm x 30.48 cm dimension could comfortably house 250 to

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300 heads of quails. Mesh wire or poultry wire could be used as material for
floors and walls for good ventilation.

The layer house could be constructed with a slightly inclined flooring

so that the eggs will roll to the front or to the side of the house, making egg
collection easier. Otherwise, simple egg catchers could be improvised to
facilitate egg collection inside the layer house.

The cages or houses for quails could be placed under a roof, under an
elevated house, or in a garage. Ample protection from rats, cats, and snakes
should be provided. Used fish nets could be used to cover unnecessary
openings for predators.

Selling of Quail Eggs

Eggs are the main product of the quail industry in the Philippines.
Wholesalers buy quail eggs in fresh form. At the retail market, quail eggs are
sold in cooked form. They are peddled in streets, buses, and many other
public places. Some retailers pack them in plastic bags containing nine to ten
pieces with a small packet of salt. Commercial- and medium scale producers

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that supply to institutional buyers pack them in quail egg carton boxes by 24s
or 100s.

C. Geese
In the tropics, geese are just considered as a minor poultry species. They
are mostly raised as pets and for controlling weeds in orchards and other
plantations. In some developed countries, geese are raised as a source of meat
and the well-known foie gras. The potential of this species as an additional source
of poultry meat and eggs in many tropical countries including the Philippines is
yet to be explored.

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Housing and Equipment

The most appropriate way of raising geese is through the semi-

confinement system. They are restricted in a yard with shelter provision for
protection against adverse weather conditions and predator attacks.

Housing for breeder geese could be very simple. It should have a roof
that is free from leaks to always keep the litter dry. About a 6 to 10 cm layer
of dry litter materials should be maintained to serve as beddings. Wood
shavings, chopped rice straws, and rice hulls could be used as litter materials.
Trough feeders should be placed at floor level inside the house. Drinkers
should be wide and deep enough for the geese to dip both bill and head.

Geese make their nests in litters. Nest boxes should be provided in

each shed so that egg loss and high incidence of dirty eggs can be minimized.
One nest for every three geese is sufficient. Each goose should be provided
with about 0.9 sq m floor space allowance and an additional yard allowance
of 2.8 to 3.7 sq m per goose.

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D. Pigeon
In the tropics, pigeons are raised for different purposes. Some breeds are
utilized for meat while others are used as pet and for game purposes. Pigeons
are adaptable to nearly all conditions and could be raised in rural, suburban, or
urban areas. They are easy to raise, inexpensive to maintain, and need very little
space. They are quiet and have no offensive odor. Pigeon raising is a livelihood
that is seldom restricted by zoning ordinances in a locality.

E. Ostrich
The ostrich is the largest among the species of poultry. In the olden times,
their feathers are primarily used as an emblem of the nobility in many parts of
the world. Then and now, they are raised for their exotic hide or leather for
making boots, clothing, and upholstery. The low cholesterol content of their meat
and their beef-like taste are some reasons why they are preferred by some
consumers over other poultry meat. Their feathers or plumes are still used in
making hats, clothes, shoes, and feather dusters.

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Housing and Facilities

In some countries, ostriches are raised on a large scale. The usual

facilities provided under commercial operations include the breeding
paddocks, hatchery, brooding and rearing facilities, and the growing/finishing
area.

A building for ostriches should not be wider than 15 meters. Breeder

quarters should be located away from the brooding and growing areas.
Fences for areas where growing ostriches are kept should be at least 150 cm
high. Beyond one year of age, the height of fences should be increased up
to 170 cm.

Chopped straw, sawdust, and sand/small gravel could be used as

bedding materials. Different types of raised floors, which include perforated
plastic, wire, or nylon mesh, could be used as flooring materials.

Brooding and Growing Management

Ostrich chicks are kept in brooding quarters during the first three to
four days after hatching. Thereafter, they could be allowed access to
paddocks. During this period, each ostrich could be given a space allowance
of about 0.5 to 0.7 sq m. At five weeks of age they could already be allowed
to go outside the quarters for an hour daily if the weather is good.

The brooding temperature provided is similar to that of chickens and

other poultry species. Clean drinking water should be available at all times.
During the first week, sugar and vitamin premixes could be added to the
drinking water. Feeds must be provided ad libitum during the first week.
Giving feed several times a day rather than making them available at all times
is highly recommended to avoid the bad effects of overeating. Grits should
also be given to aid the gizzard in grinding feed.

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