When a disease organism hitches a ride on an object, feed particle, another animal, bodily fluid, or the air to find and infect a new host, dairy farmers pay the price for that journey. Practicing good biosecurity measures is critical to prevent these types of pathogens from entering your farm and from spreading disease beyond your farm if an outbreak occurs.
Biosecurity is not something we should follow because someone tells us to, said Delaine Quaresma, D.V.M, M.P.H., during an Iowa State Extension webinar. Disease can cause serious animal well-being and financial stress, takes time to resolve, and may even inhibit the food supply if it becomes widespread. The public health veterinarian at the Center for Food Security and Public Health described the three principles of biosecurity: separation, movement control, and sanitation.
Separation, or taking efforts to keep unaffected animals away from infected animals or contaminated materials, is extremely effective. “If the pathogen isn’t present, then it can’t infect,” Quaresma said.
Dairies can practice separation by quarantining new or sick animals and following procedures that reduce cross-contamination, such as requiring employees to have dedicated farm clothing and shoes. Additionally, ensure feed products aren’t in contact with manure by using different equipment for feeding and scraping.
Controlling movement involves monitoring who has access to your farm and how animals move within, on, and off the farm to limit disease exposure. Quaresma said that every farm should have gates and signage that controls personnel. It is also a good idea to record who comes on the farm and to have any vehicles park away from animal areas where possible. Consider all of the inputs your farm receives and how they arrive: feed, bedding, veterinary services, fuel, and even mail. Where have these vehicles and people been, and what might they be carrying to your animals? In a situation that calls for an enhanced biosecurity plan, Quaresma recommended a line of separation or buffer area with controlled access points to limit the potential for disease organisms to reach animals.
If you are moving animals between facilities or bringing new animals in, keep detailed records of when and where which animals were transported. Collaborate with your vet to develop quarantine protocols. Also consider how you are transporting and disposing of carcasses. Quaresma reminded that compost should be covered so as not to attract scavengers and that the equipment used should be cleaned and sanitized afterward.
Proper sanitation applies to equipment, materials, and the farm environment, she described. Keeping areas like feed pads and tall grasses clean will help deter pests like rodents, flies, and birds that can carry disease. When considering how to clean farm tools, surfaces, and vehicles, decide what products will be most effective on that material. Quaresma explained that items should be removed of dirt, rinsed, washed, dried, and then sanitized. Read the product label to understand how much contact time is necessary for the product to do its job.
A biosecurity plan that includes protocols covering these areas should be written up by someone who is familiar with the facility, develops the plan with the veterinarian, and can communicate all needed measures with the farm team. Include in the plan a labelled map of the premise, and review it annually. Be sure it includes steps to implement your protocols so employees know how to handle a disease concern if it were to occur. Time is always of the essence with disease-causing organisms, and the faster a response is mounted, the quicker an outbreak can be squashed.
