**7.2 Hygiene practice**

Hygiene practice is an important aspect of animals' health management and this entails keeping the farm environment free of any anything or condition that could induce pest infestation and disease infections in the animals. This includes

**Figure 4.** *A lamb with lame foot as result of infection. Source: Photo by author.*

ensuring that farmhouses and animal beddings are dry and regularly cleaned, and as well as the equipment and all facilities used for movement and care of farm animals. Cleaning may include scraping, sweeping, washing, possibly with the use of disinfectants. This action is underscored by the understanding that pathogenic micro-organisms and eggs of external and internal parasites could survive under any condition, particularly in a wet and filthy environment. With hygiene practices, no favourable condition is created for the micro-organisms to be active or survive to cause infections in the animals. Disinfection may though be essential, most disinfectants are not particularly effective in combating viruses *thereby* emphasising the need for physical cleaning and burning of bedding [81]. Droppings or faeces by animals, feathers and dead animals need to be promptly removed pens and ranches as these are sources of pathogens [82]. Also, too many animals on-site and overcrowding within building and cages should be avoided to prevent the rapid spread of emerging diseases of stock [16].
