Bird flu: Expert Urges Poultry Farmers To Increase Biosecurity
A Poultry farmer expert, Mr Joel Oduware, has called on local farmers in Nigeria to increase biosecurity to prevent the reoccurrence of bird flu outbreaks in the sector.
Oduware said Biosecurity in poultry is adherence to sanitary and hygienic measures to keep the farm safe from toxins and diseases.
He attributed the reason for the reoccurring bird flu outbreaks in the sector to environmental factors hence the need for increased biosecurity measures on the farms.
The expert said; “The reason for the frequent bird flu outbreak we experience in the sector can be closely linked to environmental factors.
“It is more of an environmental challenge because, at the time of the year when we usually have reoccurring outbreaks of the flu, poultry farmers need to embark on strict adherence to biosecurity on their farms.
“There are lots of factors that predispose the sector to the reoccurring bird flu outbreak, so biosecurity must be stepped up to avoid the continuous loss of the flock.”
According to him, “we have a lot of migrant birds that mix up with our local flock and cause so many zoonotic diseases.”
“Most of the migrant birds are wild birds and are carriers of bird flu. When they perch on the feed or water, the local birds will inadvertently be infected by the disease they carry.
“The environmental factor of migratory birds is the main reason for transmission of disease among poultry birds.
“Cattle egrets are also carriers of disease that predispose poultry birds to diseases when they enter the farm,’’ Oduware said.
He urged farmers to protect their farms hygienically and be sanitary-wise to prevent general disease outbreaks aside from bird flu.
“There are other environmental factors like free-range birds getting into the poultry farms, these birds have all sorts of diseases and can infect the flock if there are no biosecurity measures in place.
“That is why the advocacy for increased biosecurity cannot be over-emphasised,” Oduware said.
NAN/ Mercy Chukwudiebere
