Farm animal biosecurity

what is biosecurity

measures taken to prevent the introduction or spread of disease in a herd or flock

essential component to infectious/ parasitic disease management

management of infectious/ parasitic disease

1. biosecurity, preventing disease entry

2. reduce disease challenge

3. improve animals resistance

tools for management of infectious/ parasitic disease

1. Biosecurity: preventing disease entry

2. Reduce disease challenge

• Management - Hygiene, Ventilation, stocking rates

• Test/cull/isolate infected animals

• Drug treatments:- antibiotics/anthelmintics

3. Improve animals resistance

• Vaccinate

• Management - Improve nutrition, Reduce stress, Reduce concurrent disease

• Breeding

how does disease spread globally

global connectivity multiple routes of incursion of exotic disease

exotic disease incursion continual threat

international co-operation required

world organisation for animal health

International- World Organization for Animal Health (OIE)

Decide Global Notifiable diseases List

• Economic, animal welfare, public health risk

Emerging Infectious Disease

Provide Info on each country’s disease status

Advice on International and National Control

International reference laboratories for diagnosis of disease

6 prinicples

1. transparency - ensure transparency in global animal disease situation

2. scientific info - collect and analyse and disseminate veterinary scientific information

3. international solidarity - encourage international solidarity in control of animal diseases

4. sanitary safety - safeguard world trade by publishing health standards for international trade in animals and animal products

5. promotion of veterinary services - improve legal framework and resources of national veterinary services

6. food safety and animal welfare - provide a better guarantee of food of animal origin and to promote animal welfare through a science based approach

OIE notifiable diseases

countries must inform OIE

1st occurence of a notifiable disease

reocurrence of a notifiable disease

new strain of a notifiable disease

change in morbidity or mortality patterns

change in epidemiology

new emerging diseases

national level government

Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs

Responsible UK Biosecurity Animals

Implement Government Policy

Design legislation

Control Measures

• Animal and animal product movements, import and export, testing regimes

Surveillance

• International Disease Monitoring

• National disease monitoring

• Animal Plant Health Agency

Manage Emergency Disease Outbreaks

government policy TB control

defra

diagnosis - TB testing and policy

control measures

• protection zones

• animal movement

• culling infected cattle

• badger culling

biosecurity advice

surveillance

• surveillance zones

blue tongue virus

defra

diagnosis

control measures

• protection zones

• animal movement

surevillance

• surveillance zones

control measures

• vaccination

biosecurity at farm level

Tailored to each individual farm based on their herd health aims,

current disease status, management systems, feasibility and cost

Range of Strategies

• Preventing introduction of all infectious agents

• Targeted specific diseases

• None at all

Holistic plan against multiple diseases (created by farmer and vet as part of Herd/ Flock Health Plans)

Specific advice for a specific disease

• farmer doesn’t want to bring Avain Flu on to the farm and wants advice

biosecurity plans for farms

zero disease risk entry is in many cases unachievable

many diseases biosecurity measures reduce risk of disease coming onto farm

based on knowledge of pathogen biology, epidemiology, control

biosecurity plans disease

1. Which disease(s) at risk from?

2. Assess the risk of how disease might enter a herd/flock.

3. Quantify the risk.

4. Devise appropriate control measures

how is disease brought on to farm - animals

farm animals

• bought in

• grazing

• contact with neighbouring stock

• escapees

wildlife, isect vectors and other species

• midges - blue tongue schmallenberg

• ticks - tick born fever, babesiosis, louping ill

• wildlife - birds, stray animals, TB, salmonella, campylobacter

• farm pets - GID- taenia multiceps- dogs, toxoplasmosis - cats

how is disease brought on to farm - people - fomites

carry on fomites - faeces, blood, pus, snot

vets

foot trimmers

shearers

AI

other farmers

public

how is disease brought on to farm - vehicles and equipement

vets

AI, foot trimmers

and their equipement

milk tankers

dead stock haulier

feed wagon

contractors

quantifying risk of disease entry

numerical estimated rarely possible

qualitative assessment

• based on disease prevelance

• nature disease

• how disease spreads

• how it might come on to the farm

• low, medium, high, very high

what biosecurity measures can be taken

Animal movements

• Source of animals

• Quarantine

• Testing (clinical, laboratory tests)

• Treat animals

People, Vehicles, Equipment

• Cleaning and Disinfection

Other risks

• Manure spreading

• Water sources

• Feed sources

animal movement - measures to reduce the risk

source of animals

• closed herd/flock - AI, breed own replacements

• purchase herd/ flock certified free/ tested of disease for example from SRUC premium cattle/ sheep health schemes

• direct from farm, known history of disease

• markets

quarantine/isolation

• any animals brought onto the farm should be isolated/ quarantine

• purchased

• returning

• brought on for rearing/ grazing

• markets and shows

Animal Movement-Measures to reduce the risk- Isolation

Isolation facility

• 3-6 weeks

• Ideally separate building

• If not possible separate field- greater risk

Prevent Diseased Animals Entering the Herd (see next slide)

• Monitoring animals in isolation for disease

• Laboratory testing (aware of test limitations )- Johnes in cattle

• Assume they have it and treat for specific disease as appropriate- Anthelmintic resistance in sheep

Vaccinations etc to protect from endemic diseases in your own flock/herd diseases

Separate clothing, disinfection point

Burn Dung

Animal movement-measures to reduce the risk-Testing

How do we know if an animal is diseased??

Different approach for different diseases

Clinical signs

• Lameness

Sub-clinically infected or carrier Animals

• Laboratory test

• Available?

• Sensitivity Specificity

• Cost

Assume animal is diseased and treat

• Sheep scab

• Anthelmintic Resistance in sheep flocks

Animal movement-measures to reduce the risk- neighbouring stock

Boundaries to prevent contact

• Quality of fencing/boundary

• Double Fencing

Co-operation of disease control between farms

• Sheep scab

Buildings are shared, carefully cleaning and disinfection after use

Animal movement-measures to reduce the risk- other animal species

Control Measures

• Vermin Control

• Protect feed stores

• Access to buildings

• Fencing

• Worm farm dogs

• Cat control

• Vaccination/ Culling of Badgers

• Neospora caninum, removing placentas , keep dogs /foxes away from cattle

general measures - people

Vets Foot Trimmers AI Farmers, Scanners, Shearers

Range of measures

• Pig units 3 days clear

• Separate clothing

• Shower in Shower out

Facilities for thorough cleansing and disinfection- bucket brush disinfection

Clean until no visible contamination then disinfect

general measures - vehicles, equipement

Vehicles

• Limit

• Access away from stock

Equipment

• Vets/ scanners,/ hoof trimmers Specific equipment for each farm

Cleansing and Disinfection Point

Hard standing to allow adequate cleansing and disinfection

General measures- water courses, feed supplies and manure spreading

Water supplies

• Ideally mains water is used

• Some herds do rely on streams and ponds

• Risk of disease increased if used by other farms

Contaminated feed

• Salmonella

Manure spreading

• Other farms

• Botulism (poultry manure)