Newcastle Disease: Symptoms And Prevention
Newcastle disease is probably the most important disease for poultry farmers around the world. This is a production disease that causes a large number of deaths in chickens and huge losses to farmers and the industry as there is no treatment, it can only be prevented, and the disease spreads so quickly. Therefore, sick chickens should be slaughtered immediately. This disease is caused by a virus.
Signs in sick chickens
A large number of chickens will die suddenly with or without any of the following apparent signs:
* Depression
* Nervous signs
* Sneezing, swollen eyes, difficulty in breathing
* Diarrhoea
* Death
Treatment
There is NO treatment for the disease and all the chickens may die within a few days. Very few chickens survive. It is best to prevent the diseases by good management and a vaccination programme. Your animal health technician or veterinarian will give you the best advice in a Newcastle disease outbreak, especially as this is a controlled disease.
Prevention
* You should vaccinate all the chickens against this disease by using a good vaccination programme before any signs appear.
* It is a very contagious disease, which means it spreads easily to other farms. You should not visit your neighbours without washing and putting on new clothes and shoes. You should also recommend that your neighbours vaccinate their chickens as soon as possible.
* You should clean the chicken house thoroughly with soap and water, all equipment must be washed.
* Everything should then be disinfected. You should also wash and disinfect your clothes and shoes.
* All chicken litter or dead chickens should be burned to prevent the spread of the disease.
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