Now more than ever, it’s critical that all poultry owners are practicing good biosecurity to protect their birds. With 26 new cases of Virulent Newcastle (vND) disease reported by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) during the week of Jan 25-31 and a total 340 cases reported since May 18, 2018, BIOSECURITY is the best measure against the disease.

Symptoms include, but are not limited to; irregular breathing (gasping, coughing, sneezing), greenish, watery diarrhea, reduced activity, tremors, and swelling around eyes and neck. Virulent Newcastle disease is transmitted from infected birds to healthy birds through droppings and secretions from the nose, mouth, and eyes. Shoes or clothing can then carry this highly contagious virus from an infected flock to a healthy one.

To help break the cycle of cross-contamination, poultry owners are encouraged to:

• Sanitize hands in between handling birds
• Use foot baths to decontaminate footwear
• Limit visitation (making sure there is downtime between visits)
• Clean and disinfect facilities, vehicles (interior and exterior), and equipment as often as possible

The USDA recommends using a product labeled specifically for Newcastle disease to help prevent the introduction of the deadly virus. Below is a list of disinfectants from Neogen, a Durvet vendor, that has proven effective against the Virulent Newcastle disease:

• Synergize^® Disinfectant
• BioSentry 904
• Orange Quat Destroyer
• PI-Quat 20
• DC&R^®

Remember, BIOSECURITY is your best measure against disease. Durvet and Neogen are here to help!

Additional Resources:

• USDA Defend the Flock Program
• USDA vND Factsheet