Biosecurity Practices in Algerian Poultry Farms

The objective of this study was to determine the level of adoption within the Algerian poultry farms (broiler chickens, laying hens) of a range of standard biosecurity practices (isolation, traffic control, decontamination, vaccination...). Quantitative and qualitative evaluation of the biosecurity in the poultry houses has been analyzed thanks using method developed by the French Food Safety Agency. Factorial analysis has permitted to determine four classes of poultry farms. Class 1 and 2 (55%) regroup poultry farms very badly maintained, with breeders which do not respect the elementary hygiene measures (precarious buildings, impure water, non respect of the sanitary vacuum, badly disinfection, presence of contamination vectors, bad elimination loose chickens...). The two classes are a score between, 0 100 points and UFC (faecal streptococci) > 25. Class 3 and 4 regroup 45% of poultry farms and demonstrates that the number of faecal streptococci colonies/25 cm2 is the lowers (3<UFC<9) and (10<UFC<25) respectively. In these farms, the sanitary teams apply very rigorous barriers of security and decontamination. Visual score attributed for these classes represents unfortunately score between, 100-200 points. The decline of production performances (mortality, feed conversion, and laying rate) especially observed in the poultry farms, class 1and 2, because of failings sanitary barriers in production period.