Biosecurity on the farm
Biosecurity on the farm is a series of management practices designed to minimize or prevent the importation of infectious agents onto a farm.
One of the most important steps a farm can take in providing a healthy environment for their livestock is to have a biosecurity plan in action.
-
Do a Risk Assessment: identify potential concerns and who or what comes to your farm. Evaluate how diseases could enter your farm.
-
Risk Management: Implement a biosecurity plan based on your risk assessment findings.
-
Biosecurity Options:
Isolation: isolate incoming stock to provide a safeguard against disease transmission
Location: locate pigs as least 2 miles from other swine to minimize risk of aerosol pathogen infection
Field Rotation: rotate fields giving time for regrowth and reduction of the pathogens in that area.
Pest/Wildlife Control: make farm less desirable to creatures by controlling vegetation, cleaning up spilled feed, discarding debri and carcass removal
Limit Access to Farm: gates, signage, 'do not feed' signs on gates
Feed: cover feed bins and prevent access
Adding biosecurity mats and hand washing stations: require farm hands and farm visitors to disinfect their feet and hands prior to entry and upon leaving the farm