Biosecurity and Disinfection Controls of Poultry Microbial Pathogen Infections in Nigeria

In Nigeria, industrial poultry production occupies a place of pride among the livestock enterprises due to its rapid monetary turnover. However, Intensive poultry farming provides the optimum conditions for the concentration of disease causing pathogens and transmission. The presence of these diseases has created the need for the control of poultry pathogens in the intensive farming system. Microbiological contamination can be prevented and controlled using proper management practices and healthcare products such as disinfectants. Disinfection consists of destroying disease-producing microbes by chemical and physical means. Hygiene involves the setting up of physical barriers to restrict the access of disease causing agents to the flock and to limit the spread of infectious materials. Biosecurity on the other hand is the protection of poultry flock from any type of infectious agents, whether viral, bacterial, fungi or parasitic in nature. In many developing countries, such as Nigeria, provision for biosecurity are usually inadequate due to; outdated laws and inadequate legal infrastructure; lack of resources, budget and infrastructure for inspection and enforcement; poor cooperation between agencies; lack of technical resources and infrastructure for risk assessment, etc. Measures to enhance safety of food and good quality poultry products from farm to table are however key concerns for all stakeholders in the industry. Since Global concerns about poultry pathogen play a prime role in poultry exports and food policy decisions in international trade, Nigerian poultry farmers need proper diseases control environment in order to sustain asses to international trade.