Managing Newcastle Disease in Poultry

Newcastle Disease is the most feared poultry disease in Northern Nigeria. In unvaccinated flocks, it can kill 100% of birds within days of the first visible symptoms. Even vaccinated flocks can experience significant losses if vaccination protocols are incomplete or the cold chain was broken during storage. The disease spreads through contact with infected birds, contaminated equipment, workers moving between farms, and wild birds. In Northern Nigeria, village poultry raised without enclosure is a major contributor to transmission, as birds mix freely and exposure to migratory wild birds is uncontrolled. The first visible signs are respiratory: coughing, gasping, and nasal discharge. Neurological signs follow in some strains, with birds showing twisted necks and incoordination. Diarrhoea with green or yellow discolouration is common. Death follows within days of symptom onset in highly pathogenic strains. Vaccination is the only reliable control. The La Sota vaccine strain, administered by eye drop or drinking water, provides practical field-level protection when the cold chain is maintained. Vaccination should begin at day 7 in broiler chicks and by day 14 in indigenous chickens, with a booster at day 21, repeated every three months in high-risk areas. This article provides a full response protocol for suspected outbreaks.