Disinfecting the poultry trucks and vehicles is essential to avoid the spread of diseases

Both hygiene and sanitation play a very important role in the disease controlling program for poultry production premises. It is essential to establish strict regulations with the poultry buildings and premises in order to maintain isolation from the environment, restrictions must also be imposed on the staff movement and the entry and exit of vehicles and equipment. Vehicles that exit a poultry premise must be disinfected and cleaned completely to avoid any potential contaminated material getting in contact and thereby spreading diseases.

The choosing of the disinfectant depends on the disease

Disinfectants used will completely depend on the type of the disease that needs to be addressed. While planning the process of disinfectant usage, if the situation demands, a veterinarian can be consulted. Starting from commercially available disinfectants to the household items like vinegar or bleach can be selected. The problem is, there are several disinfectants that can corrode the rubber gaskets and certain metallic parts in pressure washers and pumps used for cleaning and washing the vehicle wheels. The majority of disinfectants will clarify the cleaning directions.

Selection of a disinfectant station is essential

Opting a particular area as a disinfectant station is extremely critical. It shouldn’t at all, impact the environment negatively. There are certain checklists that should be considered.

• The disinfectant station shouldn’t be situated in sensitive environments, like wetlands as the spread of the disease becomes easier.
• The site must be well equipped with ground coverage and avoiding the possibility of creating muddy area.
• It is advantageous if the station is located near to an electrical power source and sanitary sewers or septic tanks.

Things to consider for a good poultry vehicle disinfectant

• The product used must have a neutral pH level and non-corrosive in nature, so that the paint of the vehicle doesn’t get affected.
• It is important to choose a disinfectant that is versatile in nature. It must have the potential to be used as foaming, spraying or fogging.
• The disinfectant must have the potential to eliminate bactericide, fungicide, and in fact, all types of bugs available in varied temperatures. While purchasing the disinfectant, you need to examine whether the AOAC claims are there or not.
• Check out for the residual activity of the disinfectant that can stay active for a prolonged period of time and also help in preventing any kind of e-contamination.

Often potentially contaminated vehicle areas are ignored

The sad part is that often the poultry vehicles are not treated properly. The inside of the wheel arches, underneath the truck, or the steps towards the cabin are the probable areas that are the most contaminated. In fact, the farm gate wheel dips are essential to be treated. The automatic spraying installation is considered best to reach underneath the vehicles and deliver excellent jobs. You have to ensure that non-corrosive and fresh disinfectant is used.

Cleaning and disinfecting must be done on a daily basis

It must also be kept in mind that the feed delivery pipes of the feed trucks must be disinfected as well. When there are bulk of vehicles available for cleaning and disinfecting, misting, spraying, foaming or fogging is the process that is applied. The crates for the broiler transport should be washed and disinfected as well. Basically, it is advisable that the poultry trucks or any vehicle that enters a poultry farm must be first cleaned thoroughly and then disinfected with proper products every day so that the spread of the contaminated diseases can be avoid.

Organic soiling removal or dry cleaning is the first effective step to be considered

Before any cleaning and disinfecting process, it is essential to opt for the dry cleaning and remove the organic soiling from the vehicle. For instance, the presence of dung on the vehicle wheels offers a very high level of contamination and is also a big source of infection. Dry cleaning includes the use of scrapers and brushes to clean the litter from the vehicle deck. In fact, attention must be given underneath the truck where there are chances of accumulation of soiling. Either using a stiff hand brush or a pressure washer, you must ensure that litter and mud deposits are cleaned from the wheels and wheel arches, tires, exposed chassis etc.

Using an effective detergent for cleaning

Even after executing the dry cleaning of the organic soiling, there are infective materials still present on the different parts of the vehicle. It is important to eliminate the greasy deposits from the vehicle and then use detergent to make the cleaning process even more effective and result oriented. Usually, Neutrafoam is the detergent that is used at a spraying ratio of 1:50 and dilution of 1:100. The best thing about using detergent is that it will reduce the time taken for cleaning and also the spread of diseases while washing gets minimized.

What are the striking aspects of cleaning a poultry vehicle?

• It is recommended to soak every internal and external surface of the vehicle with the Neutrafoam detergent. It can be carried out with either a pressure washer or a backpack sprayer.
• If there is any equipment or tools like brushes or shovels stored in the vehicle, you need to bring it out of the vehicle and wash them thoroughly with the detergent.
• Wheels, tires, wheel arches, mud-guards, underneath the vehicle are some of the areas that must be focused.
• Before clean water sprayed at high pressure is used for rinsing the surfaces, it would be best if the detergent is allowed to penetrate the surfaces for at least 10 minutes.

Disinfection of the vehicle is a must

Before moving on to the disinfection stage, it is essential to get rid of all kinds of organic material sticking to the vehicle. Dry cleaning and cleaning with the detergent are apt for it. The disease spreading organisms, viruses, bacteria etc might be present even after the detergent cleaning process and thus disinfecting becomes a vital step to consider.

Some important predisinfectant considerations are:

• Wheels, tires, wheel arches, mud-guards and underneath the vehicle must be given special attention.
• The external areas of the vehicle should be disinfected thoroughly.
• Loading ramp, tail gate lift etc shouldn’t be ignored.
• Internal surface areas are included as well.
• Every washed tool and equipment must be soaked in a disinfectant solution.

Once, the cleaning and disinfecting process are executed successfully, you must place the vehicle in a clean environment free of contamination to dry completely. Before using the vehicle again, it is essential to evaluate the entire vehicle and check out whether there are any debris remaining or not. It is important to carry out the process every day so that there is no spread of diseases.