Newcastle disease is a highly contagious and dangerous bird disease that can affect chickens, and many other domestic and wild bird species, worldwide. The disease is caused by the virus, Newcastle Disease Virus, named after it was first identified in Newcastle, England in the early 1900s. The Newcastle Disease is highly contagious and can spread quickly through an entire flock throughingestion and/or contact with infected feces, food, water, equipment, and even clothing or shoes of the farmer. The mortality rate for NDV is extremely high, with farmers losing 90-100% of their infected flock. Infected chickens should always be immediately quarantined as a safety precaution.
Chickens infected with the Newcastle Disease Virus may present initially with fatigue, coughing, loss of appetite, and reduced egg production, but will develop severe respiratory problems and experience trouble breathing, and nervous system problems, and death. The symptoms depend on the strain of virus and the health and age of the infected chicken. Chickens infected with NCV will begin to exhibit symptoms within two to 15 days from time of infection.The primary indicator is a rapid deterioration of health and sudden death, including a distorted twisting of the chicken’s head and neck.
Severe nervous system problems also include: muscular tremors, drooping or listless wings, circling, swelling of the eyes and neck, and green watery diarrhea.In acute cases, the death is very sudden, and, in the beginning of the outbreak, the remaining birds do not seem to be sick. In flocks with good immunity, however, the signs (respiratory and digestive) are mild and progressive, and are followed after seven days by nervous symptoms, especially twisted heads.
Newcastle disease Clinical signs:
– Hoarse chirps (in chicks).
– Watery discharge from nostrils.
– Labored breathing/gasping.
– Facial swelling.- Paralysis.
– Twisting of the neck.
– Greenish diarrhea.
– Bleeding in the trachea.
– Death of chickens up to 100% of chickens.
Newcastle disease Transmission:
– Breathing air, respiratory discharges, and feces from sick chicken.
– Chicks hatched from eggs laid by sick birds.
– Contaminated shoes of caretakers, feed deliverers, visitors, tires, dirty equipment, feedsacks, crates, and introduction of new sick birds into a health batch.
Newcastle disease Treatment:
There is no treatment; antibiotics administered for 3-5 days help prevent secondary bacterial infections.
Prevention:
– Vaccination of all birds with Newcastle virus vaccine. Follow well-designed vaccinationschedules and obtain vaccine from reputable sources. Do not administer vaccine afterinfection has already started as it will facilitate death of chickens.
Schedule for Poultry vaccination:
| PERIOD | VACCINE/TREATMENT | DISEASE | METHOD OF ADMINISTRATION |
| Day 1-3 | Vitamin | Facilitating growth of chicks | Diluting in drinking water |
| Day 7 | Bursine II | Gumboro | Dilute in drinking water |
| Day 14 | Hitchner | Newcastle | Dilute in drinking water or eye drops |
| Day 21 | Bursine II | Gumboro | Dilute in drinking water. |
| Day 28 | Lasota | Newcastle | Dilute in drinking water or eye drops |
| Week 5 | Poxine | Fowlpox | Wing web method. |
| Week 16 and after every 3 months | Lasota | Newcastle | Dilute in drinking water or eye drops |
| Week 19 and after every 3 months | Dewormer | Worms (Ascarides, Heterakis) | Dilute in drinking water |
– Good sanitation and implementation of a comprehensive biosecurity program.
– Obtain breeding and rearing stock from reputable farms with well-designed vaccinationschedules. Before introducing them in the batch, ensure that they are healthy.
– Enforce strict and comprehensive biosecurity (putting disinfectant at the entrance of the Khola by pouring Chlorine on a sack and laying it on the ground at the entrance so that farmers should step on the sack before entering the khola; avoid bringing new stock intothe existing stock without thorough medical check up). Avoid bringing strangers near the khola.
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Recovery:
Recovery from Newcastle disease outbreak requires disinfecting the khola, and obtaining healthy breeding stock. Follow well-designed vaccination schedules and enforce strict biosecurity