A WORD OF HYGIENE, IN LIVESTOCK FARMING
TO avoid famines and their consequences, the farmer is at the center of avoiding or preventing such calamities happening. The increasing or rising population worldwide and Zambia is not an exception, the farmer must do his best to increase food production in order to feed this population.
The acreage of cereals and other basic food stuff must be increased and the methods of cultivation intensified especially among the local farmers. The need for increased production applies equally to domestic animals. This can be met by an increase in the size of the herds or flock, their pastures, by a rise in their productivity and by the control of animal diseases. Hence, the above heading for this article.
Prevention and treatment of diseases must therefore, be complementary to other measures to increase food production. The animals especially cattle (oxen) are used to cultivate or plow the land to produce food for human beings. To this the livestock farmer must be provided with information necessary to prevent and cure diseases for it is only with this help that animal production can be extended.
Hygiene is preventive medicine, and prevention means, first and foremost, simply the avoidance of disease by cleanliness. With reference to human beings they wash their hands frequently and thoroughly, keep their dwelling places clean and prepare their food carefully because they have learned from experience that they can protect themselves against disease in this way in periods of particular danger such as Covid-19. They use disinfectants to avoid the possible spread of germs.
In animal production this knowledge must be applied even more stringently. Cleanliness and disinfection are often prerequisites of economical animal production. It is therefore, important that where many animals are grouped together the roles of hygiene should be observed everyday as a matter course. This applies a lot to milking sheds and to slaughter houses, transport vehicles and storehouses for animal products.
Cleaning as to the above is best done with the aid of a stiff brush and plenty of hot water. Livestock farmers when it comes to the best disinfectant, should always consult the veterinary officials in their area of farming or localities. When dealing with highly infectious diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease, Swine Fever and other diseases a 1 – 2% solution of caustic soda should be used.
Causes of diseases in domesticated animals are varied. Errors in feeding and management, harmful climatic conditions or unsuitable soil may cause harm which, over a longer period, may lead to appearance of disease in one or more animals in a group.
Environmental factors also play a major role in rearing of domestic animals. Disease can also be produced by domestic animals, by minute living organisms known as viruses and
bacteria. They are responsible for the symptoms and course of diseases that are transmissible from sick to healthy animals (this is referred to as infectious diseases). Living organisms whether primary or secondary they lower resistance of animals depending on the environmental factors such as deficient or inadequate rations. These when they are not okay the primary attacks by say viruses would weaken the animal. When an animal’s resistance is lowered, in this state types of bacteria that are ordinarily harmless become active and give rise to disease - this is secondary infection.
One thing a livestock farmer should know and understand about infectious diseases caused by viruses or bacteria appear at irregular intervals and can be checked by appropriate control measures based on the nature of the organism and its mode of transmission to other animals.
Zambia like other countries parasites are of major importance. They can be divided into external parasites for example ticks and mites as was discussed in the last issue and internal parasites example stomach and bowel worms, liver fluke. These can affect the entire herd or flock. Ticks in particular are vectors they are carriers of many viral and protozoa diseases for example Heartwater and Redwater diseases.
Although infection of internal parasites is not usually dramatic as are the infectious diseases but being internal parasites this makes them so dangerous. Their control is important (internal parasites) for economic animal husbandry and as such must be regularly controlled at certain times of the year or as the animals reach certain ages.
Livestock farms especially where dairy production is the core business and pig rearing farms should enhance their biosecurity and always to be on high alert, poultry inclusive. High standard of hygiene should be practiced with reduced incidence of visitors.
What equally should be remembered is visitors to any farm can be potential carriers of diseases. Farms if possible to have one entry point for people coming from outside so that they are scrutinized. A foot bath should be provided be at the main entrance and entry to each poultry house should have a foot bath.
Please ensure that the disinfectant used are effective and mixed according to the written instructions for proper concentration to kill the various germs/ bacteria/viruses.