Ministry starts vaccinating poultry against Newcastle Disease

 By Bob Aston

One of the major challenges affecting poultry farmers is the issue of disease control and management. Most farmers have not adopted the practice of disease control interventions such as vaccination. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries in Sipili Division is now training farmers on how they can vaccinate their own poultry in order to control and prevent Newcastle Disease infection.

Newcastle Disease (NCD) is a fast spreading poultry disease that affects poultry of all ages. It is caused by a virus known as Paramyxovirus which is of variable pathogenicity. When it attacks, the contagious disease can wipe out an entire flock.

Mukono demonstrating how to measure Hipraviay vaccine

Peter Mukono, a Livestock extension officer with the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries said that to detect diseases in their early stages, it is important for poultry farmers to be aware of the daily status of chicken. They should judge this by the behavior of the poultry, droppings, feed intake, and mortality rates.

Mukono said that transmission of NCD is by direct contact with secretions, especially faeces, from infected birds or by contaminated feed, water or implements.

Signs of NCD are highly variable and will depend on the infective dose and the degree of immunity from previous exposure or vaccination. Some of the signs include; Sudden death, depression, chicken not feeding or drinking water, coughing, difficulty in breathing, diarrhea, lack of balance or inability of the birds to stand on its feet, paralysis and twisted neck.

Mukono said that the first sign of NCD in laying chickens is usually a marked drop in egg production, followed within 24 to 43 hours by high death losses. After 7 to 10 days, deaths usually subside. Chicken surviving 12 to 14 days generally do not die but may display permanent paralysis and other neurologic signs.

“Preventing the spread of Newcastle Disease requires isolation, proper sanitation, cleaning and disinfecting infected items as well as controlling movement to the poultry house,” said Mukono.

Generally vaccines must be stored between 2⁰C and 8⁰C and they should not be exposed to direct sunlight.

Mukono said that during vaccination, water used for mixing the vaccine should be completely free of chlorine or other chemical agents.

Depending on the ambient temperature, poultry should not be given water for 2-3 hours prior to the vaccination.

Mukono mixing Hipraviay vaccine

“Vaccinations should be done during the cooler part of the day either early morning or late evening,” said Mukono.

Mukono said that chicks can be vaccinated one day after hatching, if they are placed into an endemic area of Newcastle disease. Once you have vaccinated the chicken you can again vaccinate them after two weeks then after another 12 days.

 “The only way to control Newcastle Disease is through vaccinating healthy birds as there is no treatment of the disease,” said Mukono.

Mukono said that when using Hipraviay vaccine, one should ensure that the vial is opened under water. Small quantity of water should then be used to reconstitute the freeze-dried tablet. Once the freeze-dried tablet is resuspended, pour it into an adequate container mixed with the required amount of water.

“Two ml dosage of Hipraviay vaccine will be able to vaccinate 24 chicken. Each chicken will have to be given two drops of the vaccine,” said Mukono.

The vaccine should be ingested by the chicken within one or two hours once it has been mixed with water.