Some essential tips on how to properly clean and disinfect your barn to keep your flocks healthy
If you want healthy birds, you need a healthy barn, George Jeffrey of Vetoquinol told producers at the Poultry Industry Council’s 35th annual Poultry Health Conference in Kitchener.
Producing a healthy barn isn’t rocket science. But does require a thorough cleaning and rigorous application of soap, water and disinfectant.
The first step is the removal of all organic matter, said Jeffrey. Pathogens are masters at hiding in litter, feces and refuse. If a little bit escapes the cleaning and disinfecting process it can emerge later – and this little bit of contamination can go a long way.
Jeffrey said it’s also vital that any residual feed be removed from the feeder system and the feed bins. All mobile equipment must be removed, cleaned and disinfected. Failure to do this is like giving the contaminants a short out-of-barn vacation and then moving them back home inside the barn after a brief rest.
The walls, ceilings and all fixed equipment in the barn must be cleaned. This is also a good time to do any necessary equipment repairs, Jeffrey said.
Next, the waterlines should be sanitized. Waterlines can become contaminated with accumulated organic matter as well as mineral and scale buildup, he said. A good cleaning and disinfecting will eliminate bacterial and mold growth. Acidic cleaners and disinfectants will ensure mineral deposits and scale are removed.
When cleaning the waterlines it is essential that the cleaner/disinfectant has reached the end of the waterline, he said.
To ensure this happens, let the water run until you can smell or see the solution at the most remote part of the waterline. To improve results, leave the solution in the waterline for some time before draining. After cleaning, drain the waterlines and flush with clean water.
When cleaning the barn a thorough washing with detergent is essential to reduce the time and water required for the cleaning process. It also helps remove biofilm and will assist in maximizing the efficiency of disinfectants.
Maximizing Efficiency of Disinfectants
It is important to use a good detergent in this process, and Jeffrey said that dishwashing detergent isn’t good enough. He added that if you don’t do a good cleaning job, the disinfectant will not work. He pointed out research that showed that cleaning with water alone doesn’t reduce bacteria counts to a level that will allow a disinfectant to work. Only washing with a detergent gets the bacteria counts down far enough that a disinfectant can be fully effective.
Simply put, “water is not enough,” he said.
Jeffrey also recommended the rotation of alkaline and acidic detergents. “Presence of high soiling implies the regular use of alkaline detergents and the presence of hard water implies the periodic use of acidic detergents.”
Detergent ≠ Disinfectant:
These Are Not the Same
It is important to remember that even very good detergents are not disinfectants.
While a thorough cleaning with a good detergent can eliminate 90 per cent of contaminants in a barn, what’s left is more than enough “to be dangerously harmful to your flock,” he said.
“Using a proven disinfectant against bacteria, yeasts, mold, and especially viruses is essential,” he said.
Producers should also be careful about the amount of water they use when disinfecting, because surveys have shown most producers use up to 10 times too much.
Normal application rates fore disinfectants are 250-300 ml/m2 (until runoff) or 125 ml/m2 at double strength when foamed.
Before disinfecting, ensure that surfaces are as dry as possible to prevent dilution and avoid chemical incompatibilities between the residue detergent and the disinfectant. In addition, never mix the disinfectants with anything else, as they may not be compatible.
Fogging is also recommended as a way to reach inaccessible areas or complete the process. However, Jeffrey indicated that fogging does not replace disinfection.
The effectiveness of cleaning and disinfecting depends on the total amount of active ingredient applied. It is important to use enough of the cleaning or disinfecting product (dilution rate) and to apply enough of the solution (application rate).
Efficacy = Application rate x dilution rate
In addition to effective cleaning and disinfecting, it is important to have effective programs in place to control insects and rodents, as both vector carry a multitude of diseases and eradication and control programs are necessary, he said.
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