THE REALITIES ABOUT POULTRY The Modern Farm - The Realities About Poultry_Seco | Page 99

 “Keep a spare pair.” Buy a pair of inexpensive rubber boots, and wear them only on own
premises, to avoid ‘tracking in’ disease.
 “Give germs the brush off!” Use a long-handled brush to scrape off manure, mud or debris
from tires, equipment or boots, and then disinfect.
 “Disinfection prevents infection!” Mix a solution of three parts bleach to two parts water, and
use it liberally to clean rubber boots and equipment brought onto the farm. If visitors do not
want their vehicle tires sprayed with disinfectant, ask them to park outside the gate. Other
disinfectants that work against AI virus and should be mixed according to package labels.
 “Make visitors take cover.” Don’t be shy about asking visitors or customers to disinfect their
footwear or better yet, provide guests with disposable shoe covers, or footwear worn only on the
farmer’s place.
(5) Gumboro Disease (Infectious Bursal Disease, IBD)
Infectious bursal disease (IBD, Gumboro) is an acute, highly contagious viral infection in chickens
manifested by inflammation and subsequent atrophy of the bursa of Fabricius, various degrees of
nephroso-nephritis and immunosuppression. Clinically the disease is seen only in chickens older
than 3 weeks. The feathers around the vent are usually stained with feces containing plenty of urates.
The period of most apparent clinical symptoms and high death rate is at the age of 3 - 6 weeks. IBD
could however be observed as long as chickens have a functioning bursa (up to the age of 16 weeks).
In chickens younger than 3 weeks, IBD could be subclinical, but injured bursa leads to
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