Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health. Show all posts

Saturday, July 25, 2020

A Brave New World in a Pandemic


Coping with covid

Photo: CDC
For those in agriculture, nothing has stopped during the pandemic.  Food is life and for most, this means that Agriculture continues to operate daily to feed the masses.  In normal operations on poultry farms large and small, biosecurity has been and will be a normal practice.  What the pandemic has taught everyone else is what we need to do in order to protect ourselves from disease.  Operational biosecurity now needs to be practiced by everyone if everyone is to be protected.  Isolation (distancing), physical barriers (PPE), and sanitation routines (hand washing, surface cleaning) that were just germane to farms is now being practiced by all.  Until we have a working vaccine in place, all of us should strongly consider using sound biosecurity to keep themselves and those they love safe.  How well we practice these steps will show in the number of positive cases seen.

Monday, June 11, 2012

Foot Health in Poultry

Broilers on floor
Photo: NC Extension
Putting your best foot forward                              

Like all farm animals being able to move is very important.  Over the years, foot health has gained interest in meat birds and breeding stock, since if a bird can't walk it can't eat and a dangerous spiral starts if not corrected.

It is important to note that moisture plays a large part in a bird's foot health.  Litter and floor conditions that are too wet begin to erode the skin on the foot pad and can lead to inflammation (bumblefoot) and lameness.  Moisture created by the birds along with water spillage if not managed can create lameness in a flock.  You can test litter moisture by picking up a large handful of litter and squeezing it.  Excessively wet litter will ball up or drip water, and feel sticky to touch.  Add additional litter if possible or stir existing litter to help promote drying.  Adjust ventilation rates to help remove moisture from the house and keep the litter dry.

Remember that litter floors are the environment that the birds live in, including walking and standing.  The litter volumes on floors should be adequate to supply a soft walking surface for the bird.  It also should be deep enough for water absorption from the flock.  All other associated flooring, including slats, perches and other resting devices need to be in good condition to eliminate any foot pad injury.   Good housekeeping of the floor will aid in keeping the flock in good step.