Health Monitoring

Question 1

What are the 5 main areas of Health monitoring?

Answer 1

• Routine surveillance
• Diagnostic surveillance
• Record keeping
• Biosecurity measures
• Vaccination Programs

Question 2

Describe what is involved in routine surveillance ?

Answer 2

• Freedom from disease
• Daily visual inspections, bhvr, feed and water consumption monitoring, environmental checks
• Computer-based monitoring (weight, activity ,…)

Question 3

What are some limitations fo diagnostic testing?

Answer 3

• Consider cost
• Baseline titre
• S&S
• N° of samples

Question 4

What Diagnostic Testing can we do ?

Answer 4

• Serology
• Virus isolation
• Molecular diagnostics (PCR)
• Microbiological cultures
• Nercropsies and histopath

Question 5

Give examples of records that are important?

Answer 5

• Mortality rates (dx outbreaks)
• Feed and water intake
• Production data
• Vaccination schedules and treatment logs

Question 6

What biosecurity measures?

Answer 6

• controlled farm access
• Clean outs
• Pest control & management of waste and dead birds

Question 7

What should you develop vaccination schedules based on?

Answer 7

• Local dx prevalence
• Type of production system
• Specific risks to flock

Question 8

How do you design a poultry health monitoring program ?

Answer 8

A. Understanding flock Demographics
B. Risk Assessment
C. Establish Monitoring Protocols
D. Implementing Preventative Measures

Question 9

What is involved in Understanding flock demographics

Answer 9

• Flock Type (broilers, layer…)
• Flock Size
• Production Goals (eggs, meat, breeding..)

Question 10

What is involved in Risk assessment

Answer 10

Evaluate pathogen risk -> Define expectations:

• Freedom from disease
• Immune response to vaccination
• Evidence of field challenge
• Production performance
• Export requirements
• Market assurance scheme rq (salmonella screening)

Question 11

What else is involvement in a risk assessment

Answer 11

• Environmental factors: consideration of local climate, farm layout
• Management Practices: feeding, housing, & bioS protocols

Question 12

How do we establish monitoring protocols

Answer 12

• Frequency of monitoring (daily, weekly, monthly for different things)
• Sampling methods: how many birds for diagnostic tests depending on flock size & disease prevalence
• Health indicators (which parameters to monitor)

Question 13

How do we implement preventative measures?

Answer 13

• Vaccination schedules: detailed vaccination plan
• Biosecurity Protocols
• Nutritional management (rq met)

Question 14

What are some key indicators of poultry health and disease status

Answer 14

A. Clinical Signs
B. Production Indicators
C. Environmental Indicators

Question 15

What Clinical signs are we looking at?

Answer 15

• General health (lethargy, feather condition, feed intake, droppings)
• Respiratory (cough, sneeeze, discharge)
• GIT: Diarrhoea, abn colour of consistency of droppings, and crop issues-
• Repro Indicators (egg production, egg shell quality & reduced fertility)

Question 16

What are the main 3 production indicators we look at?

Answer 16

• Feed Conversion Rate (FCR)
• Growth Rates
• Mortality and Morbidity Rates (sudden inc -> investigate)

Question 17

What Environmental indicators should we be assessing?

Answer 17

• Litter quality (wet or caked litter)
• Air quality: high ammonia & poor ventilation
• Temp & humidity (prevent heat stress and maintain immune function)

Question 18

When should we do diagnostic testing in health monitoring?

Answer 18

Routine surveillance, outbreak investigations, pre-vaccination assessments

Question 19

Describe the importance of record keeping?

Answer 19

• Traceability
• Decision making (historical data important for decision-making)
• Regulatory compliance