AYE, Langzad Adamu2023-09-222023-09-222010-04-26https://teras.ng/api/asset/document/f9907463-4d31-4f77-b1f9-22291b1ba6bahttps://teras.ng/catalog-item/85a46e3c-b4f1-4f17-9b21-211da9ed9ba3http://dspace.teras-network.net:4000/handle/123456789/36132The study assessed the incidence, mortality and financial losses during the 2006 – 2007 Highly Pathogenic Aavian Influenza (H5N1) poultry outbreaks in Kaduna State; determined H5 antibodies prevalence among poultry in live bird markets, biosecurity practices and infrastructure in these markets through the use of outbreak data, haemagglutination inhibition test and structured questionnaires. Of the 128 farms involved in HPAI (H5N1) outbreaks, 85% were commercial farms with a mortality rate of 53.18 % and 113,151 (48.04%) poultry were depopulated. Sixty-six per cent of outbreak cases were reported after five days of onset with 92 % reported after all the birds were dead. Eighty-eight per cent of the farms did not seek veterinary advice, with 7.8 % of the farms were keeping multi-aged or multi-species poultry together. Farmers practiced borrowing of equipment and egg crates from other farms. The total financial losses during the epidemics was 984,500,272.00 Naira. Six of the seven live bird markets sampled had positive for H5 antibodies with Makarfi having the highest prevalence of 18.18 %. Poultry sampled had an overall prevalence of 7.84 % with pigeons having the highest prevalence of 18.18 %. Only 15.19 % of the live bird market studied had pipe borne water and all markets were located around residential areas and were not fenced. Among marketers, 98.73% and 88.73% respectively, do not seprate poultry by age or species with 41.77 % keeping poultry with rabbits. Most poultry processors do not wear protective clothing and engaged in risky behaviours. Poultry offal was eaten by 97.5 % of respondents. Most marketers trade in sick birds and throw away dead poultry.About seventy respondents (69.62 %) reported that the markets were not decontaminated with 63.29 % of respondents willing to disclose HPAI (H5N1) outbreak.Research Theses