Infectious
diseases are the greatest risk to a commercial layer operation and attempts
must be made to control and prevent disease. In most instances, the cost of
treating clinical outbreaks of disease is enormous.
Sub‐clinical,
mild or chronic disease also leads to losses due to poor performance of the
affected flocks.
To detect disease in their early stages, it is important for
the flock attendants to be aware of the daily status of the birds. They should
judge this by the behavior of the birds, droppings, feed intake, mortality
rates, etc.
Any
signs of ill health should be reported immediately to a veterinarian who can
make the correct diagnosis and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Since most
poultry disease have very similar manifestations diagnosis by the farmers is
strongly discouraged.
A
vaccination program to meet both area and individual farm needs is essential
for flock health management. Vaccination programs need to be reviewed
periodically and any changes approved by an experienced veterinarian.
It
is important to follow the manufacturer's directions on storage and
administration of vaccines. Generally vaccines must be stored between 2 and 8
degrees centigrade, and transported in a cool box and should not be exposed to
direct sunlight.
When
vaccinating through the drinking water, the water supply system should be
completely free of chlorine, medication and / or other chemical agents for 48
hours prior to and for 24 hours after the vaccination. Depending on the ambient
temperature, water should be with held for 2‐3 hours prior to the vaccination.
The vaccine should be mixed with water which the birds will consume within two
hours of being mixed.
Vaccinations should be done during the cooler part of
the day either early morning or late evening. Before vaccinating always ensure
that, there are sufficient vaccine doses to cover the flock and the birds are
healthy. Also ensure that the vaccines have not expired.
It
is important to purchase your chicks from a hatchery where the vaccination
history of the parents is available as this determines the level of protection
the chicks have acquired from their parents and the vaccination program to
follow.
Such
hatcheries would also ensure that the appropriate day‐old vaccinations are done
effectively.
It
is also important that vaccines are purchased from reputable vaccine
manufactures or their appointed outlets (pharmacies, Agrovet ‐shops, etc)
Such
outlets are capable of ensuring that the vaccine cold chain is maintained and
normally offer professional advice on various aspects of vaccinations.
BEAK TRIMMING
Beak
Trimming is done for two main reasons: To prevent feather pecking, cannibalism
and to reduce feed wastage. The operation is delicate and should be performed
by specially trained personnel only. Poor beak trimming often leads to
unevenness of the beaks and in some birds cause difficulties in feeding and
drinking thus low body weight.
In
commercial laying flocks beak trimming should be done twice. A light trimming
at 10 days and the second operation between 8 and 10 weeks of age. This is because
trimming only at around 10 days will not prevent pecking entirely while if done
too severely at that age will lead to a reduction in growth rate and
uniformity.
Before Beak Trimming
• Ensure that the birds are
healthy and have not been vaccinated
recently
• Add vitamins (especially
vitamin K) to the drinking water to
hemorrhages.
• Ensure that the temperature
of the trimming blade is high enough
prevent hemorrhages but not
so high as to burn the birds.
Beak trimming at about 10 days
• Hold the chick in one hand
with the thumb behind the head
• Hold the head firmly in
position resting on the thumb
• Cauterize
or cut the beak tip and the lateral edges at least 2mm from the nostrils (see
diagram).
Beak trimming at 8 to 10 weeks
It
is necessary to cut the beak perpendicularly at a right angle to its long axis,
so that after cauterization, about half of the beak between the tip and the
nostrils is left.
To beak trim correctly at 10 weeks, insert a finger between
the 2 mandibles and then beak trim and cauterize each mandible. For day 10
debeckig, put both mandibles through the middle hole of the machine. The blade
should be at the right temperature. Cauterize with care,
particularly
at the side of the beak to ensure that the sides are rounded off to avoid
lateral re‐ growths.
It
is advisable to check the state of the beak trimming just before point of lay
and, if necessary do a re‐trim of the over grown beaks.
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