| Biosecurity
All livestock farmers should have a farm health plan
The basic premise of biosecurity is to keep infectious agents able to cause disease away from animals & birds on farms.
his is not simple:
different infectious
agents can be
transmitted in
many different
ways – in food
and/or water, via birds and animals
(including new stock and wild
animals and birds) – and of course
by people.
Biosecurity is easier to achieve
on some farm systems than
others. However, the inclusion of
bio-security plans during farm
health planning meetings between
the farmer and their veterinary
surgeon is relevant to all species
and all forms of livestock
production.
There is no substitute for good
management, hygiene and
biosecurity measures. Simple
measures such as cleaning
buildings and equipment will make
a difference. Disease can be
spread by poor management and
substandard hygiene.
There are some guiding
principles which hold true for the
control of diseases in all farmed
species. These are placed firmly at
the centre of the RUMA
(Responsible Use of Medicines in
Agriculture) Alliance guidelines on
the responsible use of
antimicrobials, as improving
biosecurity can help with
strategies to reduce the need for
antimicrobial usage, as well as
improving health and welfare and
productivity.
Review potential disease
introduction risks for any new
purchased animals being
introduced to the farm, and look at
contact between animals on the
farm. For example, with cattle,
diseases are sometimes spread
T
around and between farms by
contact with other cattle. For
poultry, disease spread via faeces
or dust is an important means of
disease transmission. Contact can
also be indirect, for example by
contact with manure or by people
if clothes and boots have been in
contact with diseased animals
elsewhere. This highlights the
importance of appropriate barrier
measures, such as proper
disinfection points and entry/exit to
farms.
Hygiene plays a big part. Keep
things clean and tidy, disinfect as
appropriate and clean up food
spills to reduce the potential for
vermin. Control entry points to the
farm as far as practical – this is of
course easier on pig and poultry
units than a farm with a footpath
running through the fields.
As well as biosecurity and
hygiene, the general health and
nutritional status of the animals is
important in how resilient they may
be to infection. Stressed animals
are far more likely to become sick.
Avoid obvious physical stress
factors such as overcrowding and
systems for handling animals
should be developed to minimise
stress to the animals.
Exposure to infectious agents in
itself can cause stress to the
animals’ immune system e.g. BVD
in cattle. Farmers should engage
with their veterinary surgeon to
consider what vaccination regimes
should be applied on their farm to
protect animals where possible
against infectious diseases.
Appropriate vaccination regimes
should from an integral part of the
herd or flock plan as they can a
big role in preventing disease and
keeping animals healthy.
32 | Farming Monthly | April 2017
Good nutrition, with a balanced
diet, is also important to help
support an animal’s immune
system.
It’s vital for farmers and vets to
work together and include
biosecurity in the farm health plan
as a living document which is
reviewed on an ongoing basis as
disease challenges change over
time, to help support the
production of healthy food from
healthy animals.
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