Poultry farms in mid Atlantic prepare for avian flu

By Blake Jackson

With the recent reports of more cases of avian flu in the Midwest, poultry farms in Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic should take steps to prevent the disease from spreading to their flocks.

Biosecurity measures

• Review your farm's biosecurity rules with all workers. Everyone should know what to do when entering a poultry house, taking a delivery, or talking with visitors.
• Wet disinfection of shoes and boots should be used now. If using powder foot dips, a sprayer with disinfectant should be used to spray the other areas of the shoes.
• Keep specially designated shoes for use inside poultry housing with the house. Changing shoes is the basis for a bench entry system, which helps keep outside germs outside and inside germs on the inside of the house.
• Use house coveralls and inside boots to isolate each poultry house on the farm and help prevent contamination of outside germs and viruses.

Visitor controls

• Take deliveries of shipments away from the poultry housing as much as possible.
• Meet visitors at a neutral spot away from the poultry house, such as the family house.
• Change into different clothing and footwear before going back to work on the farm after leaving for an errand or to get supplies. Wash hands as well.
• Do not share equipment or workers unless they are fully washed and disinfected.

Other measures

• With cooler nights, farms will be powering down fans as they switch over to winter ventilation schedules. Keep an eye on litter conditions and maintain a level of ventilation to keep litter dry.
• Viruses can survive in cool, wet conditions, so it is important to keep air moving to help clear the room of excess moisture. Supplemental heat for meat bird housing may be helpful in drying a house.
• Studies have shown that fans that direct air to both ends of the house at the same time help reduce stratification of hot and cool air spots in poultry buildings. The fans help in drying the litter by moving air over the birds and floor and picking up moisture. This makes it easier to move the moist air out of the house with the wall fans.
• Be sure to have adequate litter for the winter to help absorb water and reduce wet spots in high traffic areas of the house. By taking these steps, poultry farms can help protect their flocks from avian flu and other diseases

Photo Credit: gettyimages-semakokal