How to clean your poultry barn in-between cycles.
Maintaining a low-pathogen environment for your birds is crucial, it directly influences growth, feed efficiency, and hatching rates. Cleanliness in the poultry housing and the hatchery is an important biosecurity measure that not only protects your flock but boosts performance.
Why is cleaning and disinfecting important?
Each step in cleaning and disinfecting reduces germ levels in poultry houses. This is essential for preventing diseases in poultry such as Salmonella, E. coli and Coccidiosis Eimeria.
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Directly after removal of broilers
50,000,000 Germs/cm²:format(webp)){kind=icon}
After cleaning with water
20,000,000 Germs/cm²:format(webp)){kind=icon}
After cleaning with MS TopFoam
100,000 Germs/cm²:format(webp)){kind=icon}
After disinfecting with MS MegaDes
<500 Germs/cm²The 7 steps to cleaning your poultry barn
To achieve a 100% germ-free environment in the poultry barn, it is crucial to thoroughly clean and disinfect it. Start each new round completely fresh by eradicating all germs. You can follow this step-by-step guide or download the cleaning protocol.
⚠ Safety first: Ensure your safety when cleaning the poultry house by wearing the recommended protective clothing, including coveralls for pressure cleaning, face protection, gloves, footwear, and ear protection.
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Step 1: Clean-up before cleaning
A thorough cleaning ensures that new flocks aren’t exposed to pathogens left behind from previous rounds. By removing all organic material—such as manure, feed residues, and insects—you significantly reduce infection pressure, minimizing both the number of pathogens and their potential to cause disease.
Remove dirt and manure
Remove coarse dirt and manure from all surfaces first to allow detergents to work more effectively.Dry cleaning
Remove all old bedding. Mechanically clean the surface using brooms, brushes, and scrapers to sweep and scrape away loose organic material and dirt. This initial step significantly reduces surface contamination and prepares the area for more intensive cleaning.Collect items like boots, brooms, etc. in the entrance of the barn
Remove all barn tools to make cleaning the surfaces easierLower the feed and drinking lines and prepare feeding lines for cleaning (detach hoppers etc.)
Internal equipment must also be cleaned effectively:format(webp))
Step 2: Clean with water
After removing loose debris, the next step involves using water to further clean the surfaces. This stage aims to eliminate the remaining contaminants that dry cleaning couldn't remove.
Make the walls wet (slightly humid)
Remove all the remaining contamination with a high pressure cleaning until the area is 80% clean.Step 3.1: Identify pollution type
Understanding the types of contamination present in your barn is crucial for selecting the appropriate cleaning products. Contamination in a poultry barn is normally categorized into two types: organic and inorganic pollution. We recognize a third type: historical pollution, the results of ineffective cleaning over multiple rounds.
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Organic pollution
Manure, feed residues, skin fats, and other biological wastes:format(webp))
Inorganic pollution
Water minerals, lime or calcium deposits, and iron:format(webp))
Historical pollution
A build up of multiple mixed layers of pollution, caused by ineffective cleaning over multiple rounds.Step 3.2: Choose the right foam for the job
Foam cleaners contain detergents that break down biofilm layers left behind after high-pressure cleaning. These biofilms can shield pathogens from disinfectants, making cleaning with a detergent essential for reducing pathogen levels. By breaking down these layers, detergents expose pathogens, allowing disinfectants to work effectively.
There are two main types of foam cleaners:
- Alkaline foam cleaners: Highly effective against organic material. When used in higher concentrations, they can tackle long-term, historical contamination.
- Acidic foam cleaners: Excel in removing inorganic material and historical contamination.
Historical contamination can be either organic or inorganic in nature. In cases of heavy buildup, a knockdown treatment is the most effective method for resetting the environment.
To choose the right foam cleaner, assess the type of contamination and how often cleaning occurs. Select alkaline or acidic formulations based on the pollution present and the cleaning objectives.
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Foaming Cleaners Comparison
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Step 3.3: Start cleaning with foam
Applying foam cleaner is a critical step that ensures thorough cleaning of surfaces by breaking down tough biofilms and organic matter.
TIP: To remove tough iron, manganese, and limescale layers from drinking lines or walls, incorporate an additional step into your cleaning process after foaming walls and inventory but before cleaning floors. Apply a concentrated acid foam/soap and let it soak for 10 to 20 minutes, making sure to rinse off the foam before it dries.
Foam walls, floor, feed and drinking lines
Apply foam to the walls, as well as the feed and drinking lines, to effectively remove any accumulated debris and pathogens. Wash of before it becomes dried out:format(webp))
Step 4: Spray off after 30-60 minutes.
After allowing the foam to sit for 30-60 minutes, thoroughly rinse off all surfaces with water to wash away loosened dirt and contaminants.
Spray down the walls and lines
Rinse off the foam after at least half an hour, and no longer than a maximum of one hour. Make sure to rinse the surfaces before the foam is dry.Rinse the entire floor
After the foam has soaked, rinse the entire floor clean to remove any remaining residue and ensure a hygienic environment.Clean the area outside the barm
Extend the cleaning process to the surrounding area outside the barn, covering at least a 5-meter radius around the door, to prevent external contamination.Dry completely
Before proceeding to the next step, ensure the barn is completely dry. If time is limited between cleaning and disinfection, use heating and ventilation to speed up the drying process.:format(webp))
Step 5: Disinfect the poultry barn
Make sure the entire program is completed at least two days before the new flock arrives. Take the appropriate health measures to prevent both short- and long-term health issues.
Choose the right disinfectant
Determine wether you need an oxidising( MS MegaDes Kiemkill) or non-oxidising product (MS MegaDes Novo)Ensure all contact surfaces are disinfected using the wet disinfection protocol
Prepare the high-pressure system for wet disinfection and verify the dosage as indicated on the product label. Always begin with wet disinfection.Use MS MegaDes Kiemkill - 5 min
Apply this disinfectant according to guidelines, ensuring a contact time of at least 5 minutes for optimal germ-killing actionStep 6: Rinse again with water and dry
Rinsing post-disinfection removes any chemical residues, leaving the poultry house safe and clean.
Use a highpressure cleaner
Rinse thoroughly with high-pressure water, paying extra attention to areas that come into direct contact with the poultry.Let the poultry house dry completely, apply a drying powder when the floor is completely dry.
A dry environments limits the growth of any new pathogens entering the barn. Drying powders can be mixed with the bedding for extra moisture control.:format(webp))
Step 7: Inspection, monitoring and training
Ensuring that your cleaning and disinfection efforts are effective involves regular inspections and staff training.
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