The Livetec team were called to a farm in Lincolnshire on the14th October 2020, due to an outbreak of histomoniasis (also known as blackhead disease), which was quickly spreading through the nearly 1,000 turkeys resident on-site.
This premises was one of two farms that reported outbreaks within the county, showing a small spread was starting to occur. This disease can spread through contaminated soil and has no treatment. Due to the fact that the disease was spreading, not only across this farm, but to other farms in the county, a consensus was reached to depopulate the infected shed to reduce the risk of infection spreading to the other sheds and livestock.
The Livetec Operations team used their on-farm equipment and scientific knowledge to carry out the operation and addressed the depopulation with compassion and care to minimise any stress to the livestock. The site then has to undergo a thorough cleansing and disinfection stage, to eradicate any further spread.
It can be assumed that the spread of the infection across the two farms, most likely could have been avoided with a Livetec contingency plan. These plans are unique to each farm and provide clear guidance on the latest advice from the Government and give protocols and directions to follow, to avoid disease outbreaks. A Livetec contingency plan should be part of any farm’s business processes.
