34. It is essential to provide all birds with an environment that minimises the potential for disease and its spread. Bio-security is a key part of broiler breeder farming, particularly at pedigree level, and the breeding companies go to great lengths to ensure a high health status. All those in contact with broiler breeders should practise strict hygiene and disinfection procedures. Ideally, birds kept on any one site should be of a similar age. This will facilitate effective cleaning, disinfection and disinfestation procedures across the site because all houses are empty simultaneously. This will also provide a period when there are no birds on site as a disease break. Further, it is important that the buildings preclude entry of rodents and wild birds.
35. Guidance on hygiene and disinfection, based on paragraph 34 above, should be incorporated in the proposed welfare code.
36. When houses are emptied and cleaned, old litter should be removed from the site so as to reduce the carry over of disease.