PULLORUM DISEASE 19 



61. — Should infected or reacting birds be culled as soon as detected? 



Yes. Infected or reacting birds should always be regarded as spreaders of the 

 disease. Therefore, immediate culling and disposal of such birds is recommended. 



62. — Why should reactors not be retained for egg production? Re- 

 actors retained for egg production are a constant source of danger to the non- 

 infected birds on the premises. The possibility of the reactors coming in contact 

 directly or indirectly with the non-infected birds alwaj's exists. Eradication 

 of the disease from the premises cannot be accomplished as long as reactors or 

 infected birds are retained on the premises. 



63. — What disposition should be made of reactors? Reactors should be 

 sold only for slaughter. Offal and waste should be properly handled to prevent 

 the spread of the disease. 



64. — In case of a few reactors, is home slaughter objectionable? 



Home slaughter may be practiced if the reactors are slaughtered immediately 

 after being detected and if proper disposal is made of the waste and offal. How- 

 ever, the safest prodecure is to sell the reactors to a slaughtering plant. 



65. — Is feeding olTal from dressed birds to animals a dangerous pro- 

 cedure? Feeding offal from dressed birds to animals is an unsound procedure 

 because they may either become infected or act as mechanical carriers and in 

 that manner disseminate the disease. 



66. — What disposition should be made of dead adult birds, waste, 

 and offal, infertile and unhatched eggs, and dead chicks? Such materials 

 should be burned which will destroy all forms of life. An incinerator of some 

 sort should be considered a necessary fixture on each poultry plant. Burying is 

 not reconunended unless the materials are placed at such a depth that they will 

 not be disturbed and lead to further dissemination of the disease. 



67. — Is it necessary to clean and disinfect premises after reactors 

 are removed? Thorough cleaning and disinfection of the houses following the 

 removal of the reactors is a very important and necessary step in an effective 

 eradication program. The sanitary aspect of a poultry plant should not be neg- 

 lected, as is very often the case. 



68. — What disinfectant should be used? Any of the "permitted" disin- 

 fectants approved by the United States Department of Agricidture are applicable 

 for general disinfection of poultry houses and equipment. Poultrymen have 

 access to the list of "permitted" disinfectants through their local county agents. 



69. — Should owners of puUorum disease-free flocks practice custom 

 hatching? The owner of a pullorum disease-free flock should strive to prevent 

 the introduction of disease into his flock. This may be accomplished with the 

 greatest degree of certainty by eliminating all possible disease hazards. If the 

 owner is not certain that his customers are supplying non-infective eggs, custom 

 hatching is a disease hazard to his flock. 



70. — Should owners of infected or untested flocks practice custom 

 hatching? Investigators have shown that infection may spread in the incu- 

 bator, and in order to prevent the dissemination of the disease, the practice of 

 custom hatching eggs from infected or untested flocks must be condemned. 

 The first consideration for such o\vners should be to establish a pullorum disease- 

 free flock, which will be for the good of the industry as well as for their benefit. 



