MPoux Alerta

The efficient natural alternative against mite
Since the beginning of intensive poultry farming, pullets and laying hens producers had to deal with the everlasting invasions of their farms with red mites which are mainly responsible for a reduction of the flocks productivity (reduction of the laying rate) which may be associated with increased mortality rate.
Red mites are also responsible for excitability; they increase the sensitivity of the birds to infections and can be the vectors of viral or bacterial infections.
They can also be responsible for troubles (itching, scratching, allergies) for the people working in contact with the birds or in the contaminated houses.
Vampired by those parasites, a bird can lose as much as 7% of its blood every day. The egg production drops, measured in case of massive infestations, can reach up to 30 %. Recent epidemiologic studies on that parasitosis of intensive bird farming show that more than half of laying hens farms are contaminated.
The red mite is a blood-feeding parasite i.e. it gets nourished from the blood of its victims which it attacks at night because it doesn’t stand the light. From a white to dark grey color, it becomes purple red after its blood meal. The adult size is about 1 millimeter, the eggs sizing from 200 to 300 micrometers.
There are 2 main families:

• Dermanyssus Gallinae, which is the most  common one, is a part time parasite that eats only at night.
• Ornithonnyssus Sylviarum, which is a full time parasite.

Once the night blood meal is finished, the Dermanyssus leaves its host to find a shelter in every dark place. It lays its eggs in every possible crack (cages, walls, floor,…). In favorable conditions the reproduction cycle lasts from 7 to 9 days. Moreover, when you know that it can survive more than 6 months without eating and that it resists to desiccation, it’s easy to understand that the red mite is very difficult to eradicate completely.

The limits of chemicals…
Despite widespread and nearly systematic use of chemicals over the last 50 years, it has to be admitted today that their use to eradicate those parasites does not bring the expected results and has many drawbacks and side effects:

• Less and less efficacy.
• Resistances development.
• Risks of residues in the eggs and in the meat.
• Toxicity for the workers,
• High cost….

The recent ban of the use of chemicals in presence of the birds has created a new challenge for the poultry industry: the urgent need for a natural alternative: