Biosecurity: Preventing the Spread of Disease
A ‘Foreign Animal Disease’ (FAD) in your flock can have a devastating effect on the health and welfare of your livestock, and the economic viability of your business. The same is true for every flock in Canada. We have only to look at the foot and mouth disease experience in the UK to see that an outbreak in Canada would permanently alter your business and cost billions to Canada’s livestock industry.
You can reduce the chance of an outbreak – or the impact, if it occurs – by having your own biosecurity program.
WHAT IS IT? A management program to prevent the spread of disease
WHY DO IT? To reduce – in your flock and the national flock:
- The chance of introducing disease;
- The spread of disease, and;
- The cost of disease.
HOW TO DO IT? As part of the management program for your operation. Consider your inputs, the products you produce, the assets you manage (i.e. the livestock, feed, equipment, and buildings), and the costs and risks you are prepared to bear.
WHERE TO GET HELP? From your veterinarian, commodity group, provincial veterinary service, the CFIA, and the Canadian Animal Health Coalition.
WHEN TO DO IT? Now. Implement a control program for your operation right away…and keep it current.
WHO HAS TO DO IT? You. You are responsible for animal health on your operation – that is a critical control point in preventing or controlling the spread of disease to the national flock.
Your program will assist those responding to a major outbreak
Implement a biosecurity program.
‘…promoting a collaborative approach to animal health’
www.animalhealth.ca
Your Livestock Biosecurity Checklist
Visitors
- Control traffic on and off the farm
- Post prominent signs to restrict access and provide directions to the farm office.
Discourage unnecessary visitors
- All visitors must be accompanied, and prohibited or limited from accessing structures or pens containing animals, medications or feed
- Keep a ‘visitor log’
- All visitors, service calls and deliveries – no exceptions
- Date, name, business, contact information, next farm visit, previous farm visit (see www.animalhealth.ca)
- Ask visitors to arrive in clean clothes, footwear, and vehicles
- On arrival, instruct visitors as to your sanitation practices
- Provide clean clothes and footwear if this condition is not met
- Discuss visitors from other countries with your veterinarian or the CFIA, to assess the risk and appropriate measures
Livestock
- Purchase healthy livestock from reputable suppliers following good management practices and recognized on-farm food safety programs
- Isolate purchased livestock for a minimum of 2 weeks
- Purchase quality feed from feed mills that follow good manufacturing practices
- Separate sick from healthy animals
Deadstock should be
- Removed immediately from other animals
- Disposed of as soon as possible according to provincial regulations
- Necropsied to confirm cause of death, if you suspect a contagious and/or reportable disease
Sanitation
- Keep clean…all personnel, buildings, yards, equipment, instruments, feed storage areas, and feed equipment
Disinfecting
- Choose the right product for the job
- Clean items with warm water and detergent, before disinfecting
- Use disposable equipment once, and discard
Wildlife & Pests
- Control or eliminate vermin
- Protect your feed and water supplies from fecal contamination by wildlife
Adapted from a Canadian Animal Health Coalition bulletin
Valid Veterinary-Client Relationship
Establishing a valid veterinary-client relationship helps ensure that your veterinarian will be familiar with your flock and management practices, in the event that a problem occurs.
A valid patient/client/practitioner relationship exists when: (Source: Canadian Veterinary Medical Association)
- The veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of the animals and the need for medical treatment, and the client (owner/caretaker) has agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian
- There is sufficient knowledge of the animal(s) by the veterinarian to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal(s) by virtue of an examination of the animal(s) and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal(s) are kept
- The practising veterinarian is readily available for follow-up in case of adverse reactions or failure of the regimen of therapy.
