Despite all efforts and good intentions poultry diseases are unfortunately never far away.
Recently new outbreaks of Newcastle Disease (NCD) have been reported from several European countries. Despite vaccination being in most cases mandatory for commercial farms, backyard farms may hold and spread this highly infectious disease back to commercial flock.
This increases the viral pressure, poses a challenge to the birds’ health and certainly – as is the case in these outbreaks – when the actual virus is slightly different from the strain used in vaccination this may lead to diseased birds. Repeating a vaccination under these circumstances can give the required protection.
Vaccination without biosecurity measures is a waste of time and money. Unlike antibiotics in use against bacterial diseases, vaccination requires intensified biosecurity: the vaccine is a weakened version of the same disease-causing virus, which inside the body activates the immune system by simulating the virus attack. Immunity issues with other bacterial or viral challenges at the same time are problematic and may actually hinder the formation of antibodies by the immune system and thus the build-up of protection against NCD. Outside the body, shedding of vaccine may lead to dissemination of the virus to other flocks/animals.
A disinfectant with particularly strong killing effect towards viruses is required under these circumstances. Most quat-based products are out of the question for this type of critical applications where a strong killing effect against viruses is required.
Halamid® by its oxidative properties has proven for decades to be very effective in eradicating the NCD virus (example: UK DEFRA 1:150).
To be used without moderation (at the recommended dilution rates) by both commercial farms and particularly the increasing number of small backyard farms !