Ranikhet Disease

Ranikhet Disease is an acute infectious disease of poultry that is very contagious. First identified in New Castle of England and was known as New Castle disease. It is a viral disease. Generally, chicks are very susceptible to this disease compared to adult chickens. Besides Chicken, Turkey, Quail, Pigeon, Guinea Fowl, Crow, Parrot, etc., are also affected by this disease. The birds are affected by this disease round the year, but the severity of the infection of this disease is higher during the winter and spring seasons. Once it infects a flock, many birds can be affected. The number of deaths can be increased, and those birds that do recover can transmit the disease to healthy birds.

Transmission of the diseases Infected birds are the main carrier of this virus. Healthy birds are affected through respiration, feeding, and water by the poultry droppings, saliva, and snoozing of infected birds.

Symptoms (a) In the acute level of the disease, chickens suddenly die by making sounds cock and jump. The mortality of this disease is about 100%; (b) In acute conditions, chickens are suffered from diarrhea, loss of appetite, coughing, whitish diarrhea, and sneezing (nasal discharge). Infected birds show drowsy symptoms and take long breadth by opening mouths; (c) Dropped wing, drowsiness, and sometimes greenish diarrhea is observed in the droppings. In this situation, the mortality of the day-old chicks is about 90-95%; (d) Adult chickens with mild infections cause respiratory troubles. In laying hen, egg production drops dramatically, growth is hampered in growing chicken, and there is a decrease in feed intake.

Prevention and control (i) Chicks and adult chickens should strictly follow the vaccination schedule; (ii) The poultry houses must be cleaned appropriately and frequently sanitize the house premises, housing equipment, and yard areas where birds are raised by using a disinfectant; (iii) The bio-security in the farming areas should be strictly maintained, and the new birds bought from the market should be separated from the healthy birds; (iv) Infected birds should dispose of underground after killing. Therefore, to control this disease, it is to be remembered that ‘Prevention is better than Cure’. Thus, proper vaccination is essential to prevent this disease. [Hossan Md. Salim and Sirajul Hoque]