practical biosecurity

what is biosecurity?

policies, management practices, or system-wide applications that are used to prevent the introduction of disease-causing pathogens into a farm and control the circulation of existing pathogens within that farm

what are the overall goals of biosecurity?

1. maintain satisfactory health status on the farm

2. minimize disease challenges to pigs of all ages

3. reduce the cost of production

what are the main areas of consideration for biosecurity in livestock facilities?

1. external biosecurity

2. internal biosecurity

3. distance between farms and disease risk

4. other

• air filtration and control of aerosol transmission of disease causing pathogens

• concerns with feed and feed ingredients

explain the goal of external biosecurity.

primary goal is to prevent introduction of disease-causing pathogens form sources outside of the farm

should new animals be introduced into the herd right away? why or why not?

no. they should be isolated for the appropriate period of time to permit acclimatization and prevent transfer of disease-causing pathogens to the recipient herd

define closed herd.

animal interactions/intriductions are limited and restricted whenever possible

should people who do not regularly work on the farm be allowed to visit? why or why not?

no because they can bring diseases into the farm, especially if they don’t change their clothes/shoes (fomites)

what is the best biosecurity practice for entry into a farm facility?  what should be done at minimum?  what should never be allowed? Explain why.

• the best practice is to shower upon arrival to facility and enter

• the minimum requirement is to put coveralls over street clothes

• what should never be done is enter the facility in street clothes and shoes

explain the "danish bench" protocol and how it promotes proper farm biosecurity.

the “bench” divides the room in half. on one side you take off your shoes and you cross over the bench to the other side (without letting your feet touch the floor) where you will then enter the showers

explain downtime.

period where there has been no contact with animals

what is purdue’s downtime for international travel?

5 days

what are some foreign animal diseases (FAD) that are of concern?

• african swine fever virus (ASFV)

• porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PED)

• foot and mouth disease (FMD)

should vehicles be cleaned regularly? why or why not? to what extent — explain the protocol?

yes. vehicles should be cleaned, disinfected, and permitted to dry completely before accessing a different production facility to kill off any leftover pathogens. additionally, drying vehicles under forced heat increases hygiene and the killing effect of disinfectants

can animal transport drivers be allowed to enter farm facilities?  why or why not?

they should not enter production facilities because they could bring in diseases to the facility/farm

what disinfectant products are available for vehicle and farm hygiene? to what disinfectant classes do they belong? which are most/least effective? why?

from least to most effective:

• alcohols - isopropyl alcohol

• aldehydes - synergize, DCR

• biguanides - nolvasan

• halogens (hypochlorite) - clorox

• halogens (iodines) - betadine

• oxidizing agents - vikron s, hydrogen peroxide

• phenols - one stroke, tek-trol

• quarternary ammonium - roccal d

define internal biosecurity.

primary goal is to control pathogen circulation and prevent disease outbreaks within the farm

explain the process of disease surveillance.

regular diagnostic testing for diseases of significance permits determination of health status within the herd

how often should disease surveillance happen?

weekly, monthly, or quarterly

what are some techniques used on pig farms for disease surveillance?

• venipuncture

• saliva (rope) samples

• processing fluids (tails, testicles)

how do biosecurity protocols relate to vaccine and antibiotic use?

they are the driving force for what vaccines are given and which antibiotics are used in production facilities

what determines the biosecurity policies developed, vaccines selected, and antibiotics used on a farm?

prevalence of disease-causing pathogens

what diagnostic tests are available for use in disease surveillance?

• polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

• serology

  • enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

• electron microscopy (EM)

• culture and sensitivity

• virus isolation

• histopathology

• immunohistochemistry

what happens if animals are moved into facilities that are heavily contaminated and/or not properly cleaned?

promotes disease and results in poor growth and feed efficiency

what are different means of cleaning facilities, and what are some benefits/risks?

• hot water to break down biofilms on surfaces

• disinfectants to kill pathogens

should farm personnel be allowed to own animals/manage their own farm? why or why not?

it is discouraged as they can spread pathogen s form farm to farm

what is best practice for farm personnel to wear to work/enter facility in order to maintain proper biosecurity?

wear a uniform provided by the farm that they can change in and out of when entering and leaving the facility

are boot baths effective to prevent disease? why or why not?

yes and no. they can be effective if used correctly by:

1. cleaning off manure from boots before immersing them in the footbath

2. boot bath solution should be changed several times a day

why should livestock not come in contact with wild animals or pets?

due to the risk of pathogen introduction

how can pests be controlled in a livestock facility?

• birds and rodents

  • netting

  • screens

  • coarse gravel

• insects

  • sprays

  • tapes

  • contact insecticides

  • electric zappers

is it problematic from a biosecurity perspective for several livestock facilities to be located near each other? why or why not?

yes because pathogens can be transferred via infectious aerosol

what can impact aerosol transmission?

• temperature

• humidity

• wind

• speed

• wind direction

• time of day

what is an effective buffer zone between farms?

3 miles

what type(s) of swine facilities can benefit from air filtration?

boar studs + purebred swine farms

what role can air filtration play in biosecurity and disease transmission?

restricting pathogen (virus) entry

why don’t all farms install air filtration systems?

because it is extremely expensive to set-up and maintain air filtration systems

what disease is tied to the use of porcine blood plasma in feed?

porcine circovirus associated disease (PCVAD)

what is a current foreign animal disease concern with regard to feed ingredients?

african swine fever virus

wow are feedstuffs from foreign sources currently managed to minimize the spread of foreign animal diseases?

by holding ingredients i storage for extended periods to promote virus inactivation