ANALYSIS OF DISEASE-RELATED MORTALITY TRENDS IN BROILER AND LAYER POULTRY FARMS IN PABA UPAZILA, RAJSHAHI

Md. Fahim Murshed, Jashim Uddin, Md. Emtiaj Alam, Rashida Khaton, Mst. Ishrat Zerin Moni, Afia Khatun, Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman, and Aurangazeb Kabir*

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ANALYSIS OF DISEASE-RELATED MORTALITY TRENDS IN BROILER AND LAYER POULTRY FARMS IN PABA UPAZILA, RAJSHAHI

Md. Fahim Murshed1, Jashim Uddin1, Md. Emtiaj Alam1, Rashida Khaton1, Mst. Ishrat Zerin Moni1, Afia Khatun1, Mohammad Mahbubur Rahman1, and Aurangazeb Kabir1*

¹Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Rajshahi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh

*Corresponding author: Aurangazeb Kabir

A R T I C L E  I N F O

Article Type: Research

Received: 25 February 2026.

Accepted: 30 June 2026.

Published: 20 July 2026.

 

 

 A B S T R A C T

Poultry farming is an important source of animal protein, employment and farm income in Bangladesh, but disease and management-related mortality continue to reduce farm productivity. The present study was conducted to assess and compare mortality patterns in commercial layer and broiler farms in Paba Upazila, Rajshahi. Data were collected from ten commercial farms, comprising five layer and five broiler farms, during July to September 2025. Information on flock size, mortality, clinical signs, post-mortem findings, vaccination, housing and environmental conditions was obtained through farmer interviews, farm records and field observations. The total number of birds included was 17,800, out of which 12,300 were layers and 5,500 were broilers. Mortality recorded was 17.32% and 13.64% in layers and broilers respectively. The difference was statistically significant (z =6.16, p < 0.001) and risk ratio was 1.27 (95% CI: 1.18-1.37). Newcastle disease was the leading recorded cause of death in layers (29.6%), followed by Gumboro (19.2%) and heat stress (15.0%). In broilers, litchi-heart disease accounted for the largest proportion of deaths (26.7%), followed by Gumboro (22.7%), lack of ventilation (18.7%) and high stocking density (14.7%). For causes present in both production systems, Newcastle disease mortality was markedly higher in layers than broilers (5.12% vs. 0.91%; RR = 5.63, 95% CI: 4.23–7.50; p < 0.001), whereas Gumboro mortality did not differ significantly (3.33% vs. 3.09%; p = 0.400). The findings indicate that mortality patterns differed between production systems and that disease prevention should be combined with better environmental and management practices. Strengthening vaccination, biosecurity, ventilation and heat-stress control may help reduce avoidable losses in poultry farms in the study area.

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