Biosecurity measures

Measures and work protocols Biosecurity measures

Location Measures

Incoming eggs • Clean and disinfect this room weekly. • Prevent air from condensing and forming moisture on the eggs (mould). This happens when cold eggs are placed in a warm, moist environment. Egg storage room • Hygiene lock to prevent contamination entering any further into the hatchery. • Closed to prevent air flowing from this room into the hatchery. • Store floor eggs and clean eggs separately. • Store items not needed in this room separately. Egg disinfection lock • The lock has two airtight, closed doors at each end. • The airflow is directed from the setter room to the egg receiving room (using pressure differences). • Ensure all doors are tightly closed, only open when necessary. • Never use the disinfection lock as a corridor for personnel. • Indicate clearly from outside that disinfection is in progress so the door is never opened by mistake during the process. Setter room • The infection pressure is very low here. • Ventilate with positive pressure ventilation. • Bangers are the highest risk of contamination. • Do not incubate floor eggs. Floor eggs are responsible for most cases of exploding eggs (bangers). • Setter- and hatcher rooms have separate air circulation systems. Transfer and candling room • Many fragile eggs break at this point. Therefore, process eggs from old parent stock or problem flocks last. • The air pressure here is lower than in the setter room. Hatcher room • At hatch, infected eggs can release pathogens that can contaminate or infect the entire batch of chicks. • Install a good air exhaust system that also removes fluff or down floating in the air. Fluff contains a lot of bacteria. • Ventilate with under-pressure to prevent pathogens spreading to the rest of the hatchery. • Clean and disinfect the fluff tunnel as well.

Hatcheries use the following measures to minimise and prevent contamination and infections: • Different air pressures are used in the various rooms to prevent air flowing from dirty to clean zones. • Each incubator is connected to a separate air inlet and outlet. This prevents exhaust air from coming into contact with the incoming air from the same or another incubator. • Rooms in the dirty zone are thoroughly cleaned, disinfected and dried after each use. • Personnel always follow a fixed route when entering the building. There should be no back flow of eggs and chicks, or clothing and footwear worn by personnel to previous steps in the incubation process. • Separate clothing and footwear are worn in the setter and hatcher rooms. • Before anyone enters the hatchery, they must take a shower and change their clothing. Don’t forget the shoes (disinfect company footwear well)! • Visitors must not have been in contact with poultry within 72 hours before the visit.copyright protected

Chick room • A lot of dust is released when the chicks are pulled. • Eggshells and unhatched eggs are also a source of contamination. • Install a separate air exhaust system. • Clean, disinfect, and dry the hatcher baskets after each use.

Take samples from the air ducts regularly. Bacteria and moulds can accumulate here. The spores will be transported by the airflow and contaminate the hatching eggs.