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WORKING
TOGETHER
FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...
17
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
BIOSECURITY
FEATURE
Make Your Farm
Your Fortress
With infectious diseases at the forefront of production and economic
problems for the livestock industry, XLVets and FarmSkills are
spearheading a campaign to put biosecurity at the top of farmers’
‘to do lists’ for the year ahead by encouraging you, as producers, to
Make Your Farm Your Fortress
.
From reduced productivity and lower milk
yields, to a reduction in fertility, increased
abortion and cull rates, the impact of poor
biosecurity on farm can have a devastating
effect on your business. By identifying the
diseases that are more likely to be a threat
to your stock and working with your vet to
develop a biosecurity action plan for your
farm, both the immediate and long term
effects can be dramatic.
Biosecurity is often associated with
disinfectant-soaked straw and endless
welly and tyre washing. In reality it is a
simple management system to reduce the risk
of infectious diseases being introduced into,
and spreading through a herd or flock,
thereby saving time and money.
The most obvious risk to producers is the
introduction of a diseased or carrier animal
bringing infectious disease onto your farm,
but what about the less obvious risks such as
wildlife, watercourses and contractors - what
can be done to prevent the risk of biosecurity
breakdown from these
?
Have you considered the following top 10
risk factors to your farm and stock?
Have you considered the risk?
What can you do?
1.
Purchased stock
Home bred replacements
Infectious disease testing prior to purchase
Purchase from CHeCS accredited herd, or a known single source
Bulls count too - avoid sharing bulls where possible, but if unavoidable make
sure they are from a known source of equivalent health status to your own
3.
Shows and sales
Have a separate show team plan
Vaccination
Isolation after each event
Use your own vehicles to transport animals where possible and avoid using
hauliers with multiple consignment loads
4.
On-farm visitors (salesmen, vets,
contractors)
Provide cleansing and disinfectant materials for all visitors/workers on
arrival and departure
Provide farm's own protective clothing
Discuss your biosecurity policy with them
2.
Poor boundaries
Assess the risk of your neighbouring enterprises
Have stock-proof boundaries which are checked and maintained regularly
to minimise nose-to-nose contact with neighbouring stock
Consider the risk of any natural boundaries including shared watercourses
your own