14 December 2010
A Newcastle disease outbreak occurred in an organic broiler farm 29 days old in Kfar Yehoshua (North of Israel). All 7000 birds were grown on one farm. On 11th December, 3000 birds were moved to an adjacent (200 meters) farm. On December 14th the farmer reported an increase in mortality. The farm veterinarian visited the two farms. On the first farm there were respiratory signs in all the birds and 10 birds exhibited neurological signs. No clinical signs were seen on the second farm.
Tracheal and cloacal swabs were submitted to the laboratory for viral isolation and real time RTPCR. All birds on both farms are in the process of being culled.
Newcastle vaccination of poultry is mandatory in ISRAEL.
10 days ago, the disease was diagnosed in a commercial layer farm in Qalqilya (Palestinian authorities).