After so many questions being asked on how our poultry can be sanitized [cleaned and disinfected] so I decided to be of help, the ravage of diseases has been a very big problem affecting poultry farms and these diseases are caused by some micro-organisms[bacteria, fungi, virus].
Not all micro-organisms are harmful, some are harmless[free-living], but the best way to eradicate diseases in your poultry is to treat all of them like they are severe and dangerous.
These disease, even though tough but can still be prevented, and this can be done by sanitation i.e cleaning and disinfecting.
CLEANING
Cleaning is to be done before disinfecting inorder to get the best out of the disinfectants and when I said cleaning I meant thorough cleaning, make sure you remove as much organic matter as practicable from surfaces to be disinfected. All debris including down, egg shells, droppings, tissue residues, etc. must be removed from the hatchery. This is followed by thorough cleaning using warm water and appropriate cleaning aides. Care is focused on selecting the proper detergent and thus producing the cleanest hatchery environment possible. Special attention is placed on compensating for variations in hardness, salinity and pH of the cleaning water. A thorough rinsing with abundant quantities of clean sanitized water completes the cleaning process and removes most lingering residues of detergents and organic matter or microbial organisms that can interfere with the effectiveness of a disinfectant.
DISINFECTING
After getting rid of the visible organic matter by cleaning, we would ask ourselves "how can the unseen{microorganisms} be gotten rid of??". That's where the disinfectant solution comes in, it is used to kill microorganism, there are different types of disinfectants and not all disinfectants are suitable for every situation.
Only after the facilities have been thoroughly cleaned are the surfaces treated with an appropriate disinfectant solution.
When selecting a disinfectant carefully consider:
- The type of surface being treated
- The cleanliness of the surface
- The type of organism being treated
- The durability of the equipment/surface material
- Time limitations on treatment duration
- residual activity requirements
Disinfectants can be divided into seven categories;
- Alcohols
- Halogens
- Quaternary ammonium compounds
- Phenolics
- Coal tar distillates
- Aldehydes
- Oxidizing agents
Although we have many disinfectants but the disinfectants more suitable in poultry farms of today include: quaternary ammonium compounds, phenolics and aldehydes.
If the surface is free of organic matter and residual activity is not required, quaternary ammonium compounds and possibly halogen compounds can be used effectively. However, if surfaces are difficult to clean, residual activity is required or the contaminating organisms are difficult to destroy, then multiple phenolics or coal tar distillates may be needed.
Ensure that the disinfectants meets your requirement when used.
Several considerations must be remembered when using any disinfectant, to maximize its effectiveness. Some of these general considerations are: Few disinfectants are effective instantaneously.
Each requires a certain amount of time to bond with the microbe and exert a destructive influence. Allow adequate contact time (usually 30 minutes is sufficient) or select a different disinfectant.
When selecting disinfectants, consider their effectiveness on organisms that are of greatest concern. If a hatchery is experiencing problems with a certain viral disease, the disinfectant selected must be effective for destroying the specific organism causing the problem. Not all disinfectants are effective on all types or species of organisms.
In most situations it is advisable to clean and disinfect in two different operations that are separated with thorough water rinsing. Many cleaning/disinfecting producers promote their product based on ease and economy of use because they clean and disinfect in one operation. If these products are used, make sure that they satisfy all efficacy requirements demanded of other disinfectants.
The efficacy of disinfectant solutions is usually enhanced when applied in warm solutions rather that cold solutions. "Hot" solutions, however, may reduce disinfectant efficacy or promote a "cooked-on" condition for unremoved protein- rich residues.
When possible, allow all surfaces to dry thoroughly prior to reuse. Dryness helps prevent the reproduction, spread and transport of disease organisms. Although a surface is clean, it is more easily recontaminated with organisms if water remains on the surface.
Visit a vet store today and get your disinfectants.
