NCD reported in Poland
Because of its importance, NCD is a notifiable disease, according to Council Directive 82/894/EEC on the notification of animal diseases within the EU. On September 30, 2024, it was reported that this disease was confirmed in a poultry flock in Mońki, Poland. The situation was reported upon discovery that 18,300 birds in a flock of 51,900 birds had died. The remaining 33,600 birds in the flock have been depopulated.
Other control measures applied include zoning, surveillance within the restricted zone, movement control, disinfection, traceability and official destruction of animal products, according to a news release by Watt Poultry. This is Poland’s first case of Newcastle disease since the summer of 2023, when four flocks were affected.
Biosecurity and vaccination
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 and poses a challenge to the birds’ health. A proper vaccination protocol can give the required protection but should always be backed by biosecurity measures to facilitate a solid immune response to the vaccine. Immunity issues with other bacterial or viral challenges at the same time of the NCD vaccination are problematic and may 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. This is also the case when the disease has been detected on the farm. Every area on and around the farm that has had NCD must be cleaned and disinfected.
Disinfection: The Halamid® way
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® is different and has been specifically developed to be powerful and mild at the same time. It eradicates all major pathogens in one application round, while being safe for animals, humans and the environment. It has been registered and approved worldwide.
Halamid® 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. Its unique formula allows for a great variety of applications such as terminal disinfection by wet spraying, misting or (thermo) fogging, aerial disinfection, water system sanitation, wheel and foot dip, vehicle or egg disinfection.