4 Ways of Managing Poultry Farm During Rainy Season

How to manage your poultry farm during the rainy season

Poultry farmers are always keen to maintain their productivity levels during the rainy seasons.

A poultry farmer generally faces immense challenges from all quarters known and unknown. Even the chickens must adapt to the changing seasons to survive.

Farmers generally see a drop in egg production, rampant diseases, high cost of production, low utilisation of feed.

Here are some tips for how one can take care of the farm during rainy season.

1. *Change in the feeding habit*

As cool weather sets in, chickens tend to change their feeding habits as they perform fewer activities and huddle together to generate heat within their bodies to keep themselves warm. It is essential to provide chicken with high energy poultry feed. To ensure its energy requirement are met for chicken tend to eat more feed during the rainy seasons to perform its basic metabolic activities.

2. *Prevalence of Diseases*

During rainy season, there is the transmission of pathogens. Common diseases include respiratory distress, stained or coloured waste, diarrhoea, nervousness, loss of appetite, ruffled feathers, enlarged prostrate and swollen face. As a farmer, always keep the shed dry, do not serve caked feed, and provide antibiotics to boost their immune system.

3. *Mud-Balls on chicken feet*

Mud balls on a chicken feet is a common disease found during rainy seasons. When a chicken walks on wet floors they scratch the feet allowing the soil and manure to stick to the chicken’s claws. If the amount of mud tends to grow bigger, it can affect the walking posture of the chicken leading to broken toes. As a solution, the poultry floor must be kept clean and dry with sufficient bedding materials. Regular cleaning of dropping and changing bedding materials can diminish the spread of diseases.

4. *Chicken Moulting*

Chickens shed their old feathers for new ones to grow. The phenomenon usually takes place during shorter days and cooler temperatures. However, laying chicken stop laying during moulting and utilizes this period to build a nutrient reserve. It is necessary to provide the chickens with a high-quality diet even though they are not laying.

*In Conclusion*

Poultry farmers must follow adequate hygienic measures to curb the outbreak of any harmful poultry disease. The farmers need to understand the dynamics of poultry in the rainy season to maintain a higher yield.

DEBEAKING IN POULTRY FARMING

Debeaking is a term in poultry that refers to the act of reducing the length of a bird’s beak, especially layers and turkey. It’s also known as beak trimming.

 It’s usually done to day old chicks (at hatchery) or between 10-12 weeks of age. 

Administration of multivitamin in drinking water two days before and two days after debeaking is necessary.

*METHODS OF DEBEAKING*

*Infrared:* plays the role of treating the chicken’s beak tissue as part of the beak trimming process.

*The Hot Blade:* This machine has an electrically heated blade that cuts off the upper or lower part of the bird’s beak.

*Cold Blade:* machine does same work as Hot Blade Machine but without heat.

*Claw Clippers:* which is manually used by Farmers to trim the beak of birds.

*TIPS TO NOTE IN DEBEAKING*

Experienced individuals who are qualified to debeak should be used.

Be careful with them; ensure that the poultry house is calm, no stressing.

The blade of the machine should be hot enough for a quick process to reduce pain.

Administer multivitamins that are rich in vitamin k to timely clotting/healing 2 days before/after.

Ensure to pull the birds’ tongues backwards by holding their throat to avoid serious damage. 

*Advantages of Debeaking*

*Injury Reduction:* Debeaking can help reduce injuries caused by pecking, cannibalism, and aggression among birds, especially in crowded environments.

*Mortality Reduction:* By minimizing injuries and cannibalism, debeaking can help reduce mortality rates in poultry flocks.

Improved Feed

*Conversion:* Birds that are not pecking each other excessively may have better feed conversion rates, leading to improved efficiency in poultry production.

*Disease Prevention:* Reduced injuries from pecking can decrease the likelihood of infections and diseases spreading within the flock.

*Better Management:* Debeaking can make it easier for poultry farmers to manage their flocks, especially in large-scale operations.

*Disadvantages of Debeaking*

▪️Pain and Stress: Debeaking is a painful procedure for birds, as it involves cutting through sensitive tissue. This can lead to acute pain and stress for the birds.

▪️Behavioral Problems: Debeaking can disrupt natural behaviors in birds, such as preening, feeding, and social interactions, which can affect their welfare and overall well-being.

▪️Reduced Feeding Efficiency: Birds that have been debeaked may have difficulty picking up and consuming feed properly, leading to reduced feed intake and potentially affecting growth rates.

▪️Heat Stress: Debeaking can affect the bird’s ability to regulate body temperature, especially in hot conditions, which may lead to heat stress and decreased performance.

*Ethical Concerns:*

 Debeaking is a controversial practice, with some animal welfare advocates arguing that it is inhumane and unnecessary, and alternative management practices should be implemented to address behavioral issues in poultry.

VACCINATION IN POULTRY MANAGEMENT

Productivity and profitability in poultry farming are enhanced by application of sound principles of bio-security, vaccination and management. Improving efficiency increases the availability of eggs and poultry meat, which leads to increase in profits of the farmers. Improved bio-security and an awareness of the need for appropriate vaccination programs reduces the potential losses caused by both catastrophic and erosive infections in commercial scale farms.

*Prevention of Diseases*

Prevention of disease in commercial poultry operations requires the application of a coordinated program of biosecurity, vaccination, medication and improved hygiene.

*Mechanisms of Disease*

▪️ *Transmission*: in order to develop control procedures it Is Important to understand the mechanisms by which disease causing pathogens are introduced into commercial poultry farms and how disease agents are disseminated among units.

*There are two types of transmission of disease in poultry*

Biological transmission and mechanical transmission

▪️ *Biological transmission:*

 This occurs when the pathogen multiplies in an infected host which transmits the agent when placed in contact with susceptible flocks.

▪️ *Mechanical transmission:*  It involves transfer of a pathogen from an infected source or reservoir host to a susceptible flock by contaminated personnel, equipment, insect vectors, rodents, wild birds, or dust carried by wind

*Routes of Disease Transmission:*

▪️Aerosol transmission (through air)

▪️Direct contact (biting)

▪️Fomite transmission (Through contaminated objects, like feeders, drinkers etc. )

▪️Vector-borne transmission (Transmission by vectors like ticks, flies, mosquitoes etc.)

▪️Zoonotic transmission (Transmission from Animals to humans )

*Mechanism of Disease Transmission*

For an animal to come down with an infection, after the causative organism has gained entrance through any route (oral, aerosol direct contact, fomite etc), the microorganism has to:

Reach an ineffective dose

Overwhelm or subdue the host Immune system (both passive V and acquired immunity, after which the livestock will come down with the infection.

There are five stages of infection process

▪️Point of entry

▪️Incubation period

▪️Prodromal period (Shows Early Symptoms of diseases)

▪️Manifestation period

Final period (recovery/death) 

*Vaccination*

Vaccination also known as immunization is the administration of a vaccine to stimulate the immune system of an animal in order to produce specific antibodies against viral, bacterial and protozoan diseases. 

Vaccines are biologicals capable of stimulating immune response towards the production of antibodies. 

Vaccine confers immunity/protection upon flocks over a specified period of time. Vaccination is a protective device used to prevent the outbreak of many poultry diseases if it is well done.

 It confers protection upon the flock over a specified period of time.

*Vaccination program* or schedule/table helps to know when vaccines will be administered, but in drawing vaccination program the following factors must be considered.

▪️Disease prevalence in area of operation.

▪️Risk of exposure

▪️Immune status of parent stock (maternal Immunity)

▪️Cost of buying and administering vaccine

▪️Consequences of adverse vaccine reaction.

▪️Availability of specific vaccines.

However, there is no permanent vaccination schedule suitable for all places and time because of existence and virulence of diseases and availability and use of vaccines.

There are different types of vaccines e.g. (Gumboro vaccine, Lasota vaccines) Some School of thought will classify vaccines based on the nature of the pathogen from which they are derived, that is viral, bacterial or parasitic. However this does not really give us the understanding of how, vaccines work or should be used.

*Types of Vaccines:*

Based on their mode of action or how they Work, it is more useful to categories vaccines into:

▪️ *Attenuated live vaccines:*  this contain a modified live disease causing agent or antigen, usually adapted from the field for administration either individually ( Mareks disease vaccine, fowl pox Vaccines, etc.) or by mass application (HB1 vaccine, Gumboro vaccine, Lasota vaccines, usually oral preparation)

▪️ *Killed or inactivated vaccines:* this is mostly used in poultry, it is oil emulsion based. The antigen is suspended in the oil. E.g. ND+ EDS oil vaccine, ND + lBD Oil vaccine etc.

*Routes of Vaccine Administration* i.e how vaccines should be administered

A Wide range of methods of administration of poultry vaccines is available for use both in the hatchery and on farms.

 All vaccines are approved for use by specific routes and doses. The routes of administration include the following:

▪️In ovo vaccination at 18 days of incubation to administer Mareks vaccine (advance technology).

▪️Post-hatch spray vaccination, in cabinets for mass administration of aerosol vaccines to day old chicks.

▪️Parentheral vaccination which include subcutaneous and intramuscular injection, to administer either live or inactivated emulsion vaccines to chicks, growing stock and layers.

▪️Wing-web stab to administer live vaccines directly to each bird e. g fowl pox vaccine.

▪️Eye drop and intranasal routes suitable for hatchery administration and during brooding of chicks’ e.g HBI.

▪️Aerosol administration, using a knapsack or electric sprayer to deliver vaccines to flocks as a coarse spray.

▪️Oral or drinking water administration: can be implemented at low cost but is of limited effectiveness against some infections.

*Handling of Vaccines:*

This is an important aspect of vaccination in livestock, it entails how Vaccines are transported from the manufacturer to the end users, a cold chain must be maintained and also the person that is administering the vaccine. A well designed vaccination program will not be effective if vaccine is damaged by improper handling prior to administration. Live vaccines can be inactivated when exposed to adverse conditions. Always store and handle vaccines as recommended by the manufacturer.

*Factors Responsible for Vaccine Break/Failure*

▪️Wrong Vaccination program

▪️Improper Administration and handling

▪️Vaccine administration deficiency

▪️Maternal antibodies

▪️Stress

▪️Timing

▪️Immunosuppression

▪️Management practices

▪️Vaccine quality

▪️Vaccine modifications

▪️Vaccine strains and serotypes

*Why Vaccine Break Is a Threat to Biosecurity*

Vaccines are supposed to protect animals against diseases, but when animals are not protected they get exposed to the wild organisms, and eventually come down with the infection, which is likely to spread to in-contact animals and animals in that locality. Also vaccine break can lead to breakout of a more deadly diseases, the vaccine which is supposed to confer immunity will serve as source of infection to the flock or herd. This will in turn spread to livestock in that area.