BENEFITS OF ROUTINE BIOSECURITY MEASURES IN

COMMERCIAL LAYER FARMS,

CHAPTER ONE

1.1 INTRODUCTION

Globally, the emergence or outbreak of some deadly infectious poultry diseases

has continued to provoke considerable international concern. Similarly, in Nigeria

infectious diseases of poultry has remained the greatest threat to poultry

production. Some of the major infectious poultry diseases that have had

devastating efforts on agricultural economics and invariably people’s livelihoods

include: New castle disease, Moreks disease, Avian influenza, Avian pox,

infectious Bursal disease, Fowl Typhoid, fowl cholera, coli septicemia, coccidiosis,

infestation. Some of these infectious diseases are entirely preventable but incurable

or extremely difficult and expensive to treat. Therefore, in poultry production,

especially under intensive condition, prevention of diseases is the most viable and

economically feasible approach to the control of infectious agents. Hence,

prevention of diseases is by all standards better than treatment of diseases.

Onuzulike (2006) reported that a planned vaccination programme in addition to

proper biosecurity and management practices can significantly reduce the scourge

of some devastating infectious diseases and as well increase productivity and

profitability. Similarly, Olayinka (2017) emphasized that if vaccination and

biosecurity strategies and practices are not enforced consistently, as standard

operative procedure, there avails a great risk of introducing and spreading of

animal diseases which are always accompanied with great to grievous economic

loses. In view of this, control of diseases through effective routine biosecurity and

vaccination becomes extremely important in poultry business. Therefore, in

commercial poultry production, designing a good preventive programme for

controlling infectious diseases is one of the most important decisions a farmer

would take to safeguard and protect his investment.

1.2 DEFINITION

Biosecurity in simple terms means all the steps people have to take to keep disease

from entering a poultry farm. Adopting good bio-security measures also checkmate

zoonotic disease spread from animals to farm staff and the society at large.

Therefore, biosecurity refers to all the management practices aimed at excluding or

reducing the potential for the transmission and spread of diseases to

humans/animals on an area initially free from the diseases causing agents.

(Olayinka 2017, halifa, 2008) in a related view, Oparinde (2010) defined

biosecurity as the implementation of measures that reduces the risk of diseases

agents being introduced and spread. It requires that people adopt a set of attitudes
and behaviours to reduce risk in all activities involving animals and their products.

Therefore, biosecurity measures should be used to avoid the entry of pathogens

into a herd or farm (i.e. external biosecurity) and to prevent the spread of diseases

to infected animals within a herd or farm and to other farms, when the pathogen is

already present (i.e. internal biosecurity)

1.3 Some routine biosecurity measures in poultry farms include

 Clearing of bushes within and around poultry houses

 Cleaning of vehicles that have to enter or leave the farm.

 Disinfection of vehicles and other equipment.

 Prevention of pests and weeds from entering the farm

 Avoiding feed contamination by rodents, fungi and other micro organisms.

 Creation and maintenance of barriers to limit the entrance of infected

animals and contaminated materials to uninfected site.

 Creation and maintenance of effective foot dips and wash hand basins.

 Adequate feeding and water provision.

 Adequate housing and stocking to avoid overcrowding.

 Good ventilation

 Proper disposal of wastes (e,g. manure & dead birds)

 Appropriate culling and disposal of spent layers.

 Proper isolation of sick birds. Etc

1.4 Some of benefits of routine biosecurity measures in commercial poultry

farms include

 Increased productivity and profitability

 Low incidence rate of infectious disease outbreak

 Reduction in the scourge of some devastating infectious diseases

 Low spread of diseases from contaminated/infected farm or area to

uncontaminated/uninfected farm/area.

 Low spread of zoonotic diseases from birds to farm staff and the society at

large

 Low morbidity rate

 Low mortality rate

 Low check mortality rate

 Reduced traumatic injuries or death due to accident, cannibalism and

predators.

 Good preservation of feed

 Reduced cost of production

 High weight gain of birds

 Proper vaccination

 High egg and meat quality

 Increased interest of the farmer

  Encouragement for more investment

 Expansion of business

 Increased in gross domestic product (GDP)

1.5 Statement of the problem

Poultry diseases reduce the productivity of sick birds and cause decline in output,

increase cost of production and cause reduction in profit. Some deadly infectious

diseases of poultry such as Marek’s Newcastle, fowl pox, infectious bursar disease

etc. are said to be entirely preventable but incurable or extremely difficult and

expensive to treat. They are therefore threats to poultry and human health.

Consequently, if effective preventive measures through good biosecurity strategies

and practices are not enforced consistently as standard operative procedures, there

avails a great risk of introducing poultry diseases which are always accompanied

with great economic loses.

1.6 Objectives of the study

 To determine the routine biosecurity measures in the commercial poultry

farms in the area.

 To find out the benefits due to routine biosecurity measures in commercial

poultry farms in the area.

1.7 Justification

The benefits due to effective routine biosecurity practices in poultry farms are

enormous. Effective biosecurity is the most viable and economically feasible

approach to the control of infectious agents in poultry production. Similarly, an

adequately planned and managed biosecurity programmed can significantly reduce

the scourge of some devastating infectious diseases.

In other words, good biosecurity measures play vital roles in protecting our

livestock industry from disease introduction and spread as well as reducing the

incidence of existing diseases thereby increase productivity and profitability.

 CHAPTER THREE

Materials and Method

3.1 The study will be conducted at Owerri North L.G.A of Imo State in the South-

Eastern geographical region of Nigeria. The state capital city is Owerri which lies

within latitude 5o 20” and 30” N

of the equator and longitude 7 O
40” and 7 O
5” E

of the green witch meridian (Areola, et al 2002).

The agro-ecological condition of the area is typical of the tropics. It has an annual

rainfall of 2000 to 2500MM, an average annual temperature of 27 OC and relative

humidity range of 80 to 90% in the rainy season (Metrology department Owerri

2015)

3.2 POPULATION OF THE STUDY

The population of the study will be all the commercial poultry farmers in the study

area.

3.3 DATA COLLECTION TECHNIQUES

Research design (sampling procedure) refers to the procedures for the collection of

data. Simple random sampling technique will be used in the selection of the sample

of sixty (60) commercial poultry farms in the study area. The choice of simple
random sampling was to avoid bias and to ensure that no section of the population

is neglected.

Six autonomous communities will be randomly selected and visited in each of the

communities, ten commercial poultry farms will be visited to give a total of sixty

commercial poultry farms that will be visited.

A total of sixty questionnaires will be distributed with each farmer receiving one

questionnaire.

The questionnaires, oral interviews will constitute sources for primary data

collection, while secondary sources of data collection will be the review of related

literatures such as textbooks, journals, magazines and past projects dealing on the

subject matter.

The completed questionnaires will be collected back from the respondents later

3.4 DATA ANALYSIS

The information supplied by the respondents based on the items on the

questionnaires will formed the basis for data evaluation and analysis.

The data will be subjected to simple statistical analysis such as frequency

distribution, means and percentage.

 REFERENCES

Olayinka, A. (2017). Biosecurity; the ultimate security of our Business of our

livestock and Aquaculture watch Vol. 12 No 4

Oparinde (2010); maintaining Good Biosecurity practices in pig production: J.

Livestock and Aquaculture watch Vol. 5. No 5. Pages 1 & 3