Basic management practices such as limited controlled site access, separate footwear and equipment for each site/house, and footbaths at the entrance to sites/houses all minimise the risk of introducing the virus. Due to the resilience of IBDV an infection on a site easily leads to an endemic situation. Hygienic measures are aimed at minimising infection pressure. Priority is to remove contaminated litter from site as soon as possible. A structured approach is required to prevent back tracking of the virus.
The downtime between successive broiler flocks must be maximised. (A minimum of 10 days is recommended between successive flocks.) Control of IBDV on multi-age sites is extremely challenging and requires strict control of the movement of personnel and equipment between houses.