Mar 11
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Disease Control Programs in Ostrich Farming
A biosecurity plan will form the basis of disease control planning in ostrich farming. The biosecurity plan will form part of the Veterinary Health Plan (VHP).
The objective of the Biosecurity Plan is to create a plan that prevents bacterial contamination from farm to farm, from pen to pen or from one group of birds to another group of birds. Whilst the basic principles are exactly the same, every farm is different and requires a plan designed specifically for that farm. The plan should outline the strategies, procedures and the recording of general policies. Biosecurity and minimizing risks of disease are considered in every process. The following are some of the factors to consider under basic disease control programs:
- Cleansing and hygiene policies including disinfectants used for: Buildings, Pens, Water Troughs, Feed Troughs
- Pen and Building Layout:
- Water runoff and wind: When laying out the farm, watch for drainage from one area to another.
- Wind: Watch for the prevailing wind
- Movement: This includes movement of people and vehicles around the farm and on and off the farm
- Pest control: including rodents and birds
- Parasite controls: internal and external
- Quarantine, Hospital and isolation pens
- Casualty slaughter procedures should not only specify method options but also hygienic disposal
- Farm Visitors policies: who can visit and the controls in place to minimize transmission of disease
- Farm Employee Biosecurity: each section should have clearly defined procedures. This will include movement between production groups, such as incubation, chicks, grower birds and breeder pens. Where possible, confine employees to their specific areas of operation. If there has to be movement between specific areas, ensure maximum hygiene is practiced to minimize risks of cross contamination.
- Soil Contamination is a major area for contamination build up. The plan should clearly define the resting period and cleaning procedures for each pen when birds are moved out.
- Incubating Bacteria Contaminated Eggs: This can be a major cause of disease in chicks. These ostrich eggs do sometimes hatch and those chicks will be contaminated, passing on the contamination to the other chicks in the batch. Green slime on an egg or hatched chick it a key indicator of contamination.
- Bacteria Contaminated Water Supply
- Wet or Mouldy Feed can build up heat and becomes a hot bed for bacteria growth.
Basic disease control will also incorporate any routine vaccination programs to protect against certain diseases that may be risk factors. The risks of exposure to the outbreak of disease are increased as farms become more intensive. The written Biosecurity Plan describing these policies forms part of the VHP for all livestock including ostrich farming.
