Animal Health
Biosecurity for Poultry Facilities
Outbreaks of Exotic Newcastle Disease in the West and Avian Influenza in
Connecticut in 2003 highlight the importance of good biosecurity practices
on poultry farms.
Biosecurity means the application of protections and practices against
infectious biological agents that endanger the food supply. Inadequate
biosecurity can contribute to industry wide epidemics of highly pathogenic
or exotic disease, resulting in quarantine and possible condemnation of
flocks.
Another aspect of biosecurity is the potential for terrorists to introduce
pathogens into livestock and the food chain. This could cause human health
problems as well as significant direct and indirect economic loss. Disease
introduced this way would be fairly easy for a determined perpetrator to
accomplish.
The Bureau of Animal Health has produced an biosecurity guidelines for
the poultry industry. Biosecurity for Commercial Poultry Facilities and Biosecurity for Backyard Poultry Facilities address specific ways that disease is spread in the poultry industry and the most effective means of countering that spread. It also focuses on the most effective measures to ensure a disease outbreak does not occur.
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