Preventative Health Care
Health Care
Prevention is always better than cure and poultry is not an exception. By regularly monitoring your flock, you can prevent diseases that could have not only health and welfare implications but also lead to economic losses. It is recommended that all the flocks are examined by a veterinary surgeon at least once a year. These checks can be more regular if there are any specific problems in the site. The examination of the birds by a veterinarian is important to know the health status of the birds and also to put in place a plan to optimize health, welfare and performance of the birds. Each plan is tailored to the needs of each farm, taking into consideration the species, age of the birds, kind of production, etc.
The health plan is updated every year following a veterinary visit. This update is necessary, as the incidence of diseases in your area may have changed since last assessment.
Vaccination
What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is a substance that stimulates the immune response of an organism. The aim of the vaccine is to prevent or control an infection.
Which types of vaccine are available for poultry?
There are two kinds of vaccines, the live and the inactivated vaccine. The live vaccines are relatively cheap to administer as most are administered via spray or the drinking water. They normally produce short protection and they are normally used in growing birds, which have a relatively short life.
The inactivated vaccines have to be injected individually in each bird. They produce a long protection and therefore they are normally used in breeding or laying birds. These vaccines are more effective if the birds have been previously primed with a live vaccine.
Which factors should I take into consideration to establish a vaccination programme?
There are mainly four factors that will influence the success of a vaccination programme and these are:
Health Care
Prevention is always better than cure and poultry is not an exception. By regularly monitoring your flock, you can prevent diseases that could have not only health and welfare implications but also lead to economic losses. It is recommended that all the flocks are examined by a veterinary surgeon at least once a year. These checks can be more regular if there are any specific problems in the site. The examination of the birds by a veterinarian is important to know the health status of the birds and also to put in place a plan to optimize health, welfare and performance of the birds. Each plan is tailored to the needs of each farm, taking into consideration the species, age of the birds, kind of production, etc.
The health plan is updated every year following a veterinary visit. This update is necessary, as the incidence of diseases in your area may have changed since last assessment.
Vaccination
What is a vaccine?
A vaccine is a substance that stimulates the immune response of an organism. The aim of the vaccine is to prevent or control an infection.
Which types of vaccine are available for poultry?
There are two kinds of vaccines, the live and the inactivated vaccine. The live vaccines are relatively cheap to administer as most are administered via spray or the drinking water. They normally produce short protection and they are normally used in growing birds, which have a relatively short life.
The inactivated vaccines have to be injected individually in each bird. They produce a long protection and therefore they are normally used in breeding or laying birds. These vaccines are more effective if the birds have been previously primed with a live vaccine.
Which factors should I take into consideration to establish a vaccination programme?
There are mainly four factors that will influence the success of a vaccination programme and these are:
- The type of the vaccine used
- The immune system and health of the birds
- The infectious pressure of the site (amount of disease challenge)
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The method of administration
The vaccination programmes are, therefore, designed to each individual farm. If you would like to discuss your current vaccination programme with us or would like to set up a new vaccination programme, click here.
