The Newcastle Disease is one of the most dreaded of the poultry diseases and is often classified as a disease of High Importance thanks to its potential to wipe out your entire flock. The disease is highly contagious and spreads through nasal discharge and poultry droppings.
It also spreads through direct contact, the air as well as contaminated items. It can be spread to new flock through the bottom of boots or shoes after contact or disposal of new birds, infected cages, dishes and food.
The Newcastle Disease is a common disease among flock but will mostly affect the young chicks. It is a disease of high importance because it will wipe out anywhere from 30-40% of the poultry flock. Due to the high flock mortality of this disease, it is one of the most dangerous poultry diseases.
In the worst scenario, the birds will lose their appetite and also develop very poor digestion. This will be followed by heavy breathing and greenish droppings. A bloody diarrhea may follow if the situation escalates. The bird will also suffer from paralysis and a nervous breakdown.
The situation turns lethal when symptoms of more than one disease occur at the same time. If it is an acute case, death may occur. And because the disease is viral in nature, treatment may be hard to come by.
All birds and chicks should be vaccinated in time in order to prevent the occurence of the Newcastle Disease. The symptoms for this kind of disease are sometimes similar to those of the Avian Influenza.
Causative Agents for the Newcastle Disease
· Viral: The virus can survive in a dead host or excretions for a period of up to 12 months!
· The virus is generally sensitive to sunlight, fumigants and even disinfectants which brings into focus the importance of hygiene as a preventive mechanism.
Transmission of the Newcastle Disease
· Aerosols
· Ingestion
· Contact: Human contact, dead birds, droppings and birds coming into contact with the eggs-contaminated shells of the infected birds.
Common Signs of the Newcastle Disease
Coughing, nasal discharge, gasping, dropping wings in the birds, paralysis, twisting of head and neck, swelling of the head, greenish or watery diarrhea, high mortality rate in the flock, PM-Petechiae in the proventiculus, gizzard as well as the enteritis.
Effects of the Disease on the Birds· Death in high numbers in the flock
· Drop in the egg production
· Blood spots in the eggs
· Rough or shell-less eggs
· Reduced hatchability in the eggs