Biosecurity Basics

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Biosecurity Basics

• John Waddell DVM,MBA

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The First Step

• Commitment to a common cause
• our livelihood depends on it
• it may require a lifestyle change
• it is not like an insurance policy which is
  bought and then shelved until needed
• it is more like farming....you must plant before
  you can harvest!
• a crop failure in this case is a success!

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Bio-security

• Methods for protecting our pigs
• Includes all the practices, principles, and
  policies that we enforce to safeguard the life
  and health of the swine herd, that provides for
  our livelihood.

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Biosecurity components

• Increase the animal's ability to resist disease
• Minimize the number of contacts that might result
  in disease and
• Eliminate sources of the infectious agent.

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Back to Basics

• First find out what we got and where
• Then start pluggin holes
• Largest holes first
• Live animals
• Transportation
• Semen
• Smaller holes next
• People
• Equipment
• Feed
• Other vectors (flies, rodents, birds, parcels)

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The environment where swine are raised, will
vary according to their geographical location and
type of facility. Bio-Security measures
will vary, and the following recommendations are
to be used as guidelines, and can be modified as
needed to meet the needs of the individual
operation.
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DISEASES WHICH CAN BE PREVENTED OR ELIMINATED
FROM SWINE

• Lice and Mange
• Swine Dysentery
• TGE
• Atrophic Rhinitis
• Foreign Exotic Diseases
• APP
• PRV
• Brucellosis and Tuberculosis
• Mycoplasmosis
• PRRS

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Diseases difficult to control since they are a
part of the environment or colonize the very
young

• Colibacillosis
• S. suis and H. parasuis
• Internal Parasites
• Ileitis
• Leptospirosis
• Erysipelas
• Coccidosis

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Environmental and Management FactorsThat
Complicate Diseases

• Ammonia and other gases
• Extreme weather
• Dust and dander particles
• Vectors
• rodents, flies, stray animals and wildlife
• feed, vehicles
• humans and other pigs

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Premise Considerations

• Location from other swine
• Distance from the other herd
• Direction in relation to winds
• Proximity to major thoroughfares
• Relation to natural barriers
• How far is far enough?
• It depends on the health status of the
  neighboring herd

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Type of Facility

• Single vs. multi-site
• All in / all out
• age segregated
• unidirectional pig flows
• Power vs. natural ventilation
• manure removal systems

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Vehicular Traffic

• Feed, Livestock Service trucks
• Perimeter fencing
• Disinfecting stations
• Load outs (incoming vs outgoing)
• Bulk bin access
• Drivers
• boots, coveralls, down time,

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Transportation is HUGE!

• Cleaning and disinfecting is NOT enough!
• Drying alone may not be the answer either.
• Only trailer pasteurization done correctly will
  virtually guarantee success!
• Truck and trailers cleaned and disinfected
• Baked at 160 for 20 minutes
• Verification

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Rodents and Birds

• These are a real and dangerous threat to pig
  health and the physical plant
• Bird proof the buildings and hallways
• Implement a rodent control program
• Report any signs of bird and rodent activity
  within the unit
• Control is essential!

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Perimeter Fencing

• To create a barrier to large animals and humans
  (not rodents)
• provides a sense of security
• should have a lockable gate
• electric, high tensile fencing works good for
  fewer

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Shower in Shower Out

• Creates a state of mind...does not eliminate
  possibility of disease.
• Creates a barrier to entry for visitors
• Dont let it be a barrier to entry for employees!
• What about service personnel? electricians?
• Create a three tier layer for approval of entry
• Use common sense!

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The Shower Facility

• Clean it up! Keep it clean! Make it easy?
• Provide good, clean, dry towels
• Buy decent shampoo and soap, not just the
  cheapest! Sauve is O.K.
• Provide clothes that are clean and that fit.
• Dont let the shower be the bottleneck
• If you cant do it right...dont do it half way!

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The Danes Dont Shower

• The Danish system utilizes common sense and self
  discipline...imagine that!
• They generally disrobe and put on farm clothes
  and footwear after thoroughly washing their hands
• Most provide a hat
• They identify farms as to health and visit them
  accordingly
• Overnight downtime is all they require
• But, NO one enters through side doors!

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The Danish System
Sink
dirty
Changing Area
clean
out
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Guest Logs

• A convenient way to track visitors and convey
  biosecurity protocols.
• Is downtime necessary? How much?
• Overnight? 24, 48, 72, 96 hours?
• We still have to take into account the disease
  status of both herds.

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Feed Spills

• Keep all feed cleaned up around bulk bins
• Spilled feed should not be returned to feed
  system! Consider it contaminated!
• Feed left laying around will only feed the
  rodents and birds and stink up the place
• These spills may be created by the delivery
  personnel but they must be the responsibility of
  the unit personnel

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Dead Animal Disposal

• Establish a plan and review it periodically
• The method must comply with local laws and
  safeguard the farm of origin
• Do not allow rendering truck on the yard
• Promptly remove all deads especially in the
  summer months
• Pay attention to the P.R. effect dead animals may
  have on visitors and neighbors

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Unsalvageable Pigs

• Learn to make the judgment call
• End their suffering...do them a favor!
• Do the farm a favor
• Establish guidelines
• Destroy the animals humanely

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Fly Control

• Flies can be vectors of disease
• Flies are certainly a nuisance to humans
• Fly populations are an indicator of hygiene
• Fly control must be an ongoing, systematic
• Use all tools available
• Flies are a primary source of complaints from
  neighbors

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Loading Chutes

• Next to the pig itself, the loading chutes and
  trucks are the next most common source of
  contamination in swine units.
• Thoroughly wash and disinfect all surfaces before
  and after each load (load or unload)
• Dont allow an animal to come back off a truck.
• Lock all external access to loadouts!
• Consider all trucks and trailers dirty!

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Equipment

• Farms should not share equipment which has been
  inside other swine barns
• Thorough cleaning and disinfections are
  absolutely essential if equipment must be shared
  (such as ultra sound equipment)
• Use some common sense....its unlikely the farm
  can afford a welder in every finisher!
• But, a disinfected syringe is unlikely to shed
  disease organisms

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The Single Largest Threat to Farm Biosecurity

• Incoming stock
• Most farms buy their disease and help unload it
  off the truck!

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Boot Baths

• They are there for a purpose!
• Keep them in a convenient place
• Keep them fresh with disinfectant
• Provide a hose and boot brush to knock off the
  worst before ever stepping into bath
• Use foot baths entering and exiting the rooms
• Use a separate boot wash area
• A dirty, poorly maintained boot bath is WORSE
  than none at all!

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People

• Industrial Sabotage
• Can anyone prevent it?
• Would we ever really know?
• Education, education, education!
• Make all visitors jump through hoops
• Create a three layered approval system prior to
  entry.

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Farm Biosecurity Audits

• How far is the farm from other swine?
• What direction are they?
• Are there natural barriers?
• What is the prevailing wind?
• What type of farm is the closest and how many
  animals do they have?
• How dense is the swine population in the area?
  county? region?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is there perimeter fencing which provide a
  barrier to livestock and humans?
• Are there entrance signs with clear instructions
  for visitors?
• Is the site free of spilled feed, trash and
  debris?
• Is the site mowed and weeds controlled?
• Is the manager proud to be a pork producer?
• Has he taken ownership?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is the farm visible from the road, a school, a
  church?
• Are there bird and rodent controls in place?
• Is there a valid waste management plan in place?
• Does the unit share equipment with other
  producers?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is the feed delivered in dedicated trucks?
• If not, do you know where the truck has been
  prior to your delivery?
• Do you clean and disinfect the trucks wheels?
• Does the feed truck enter the perimeter fence?
• Does the driver open bins?
• Is the feed in meal form or pelleted?
• Are there any animal biproducts in the feed?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Are employees allowed to own pigs or care for
  non-farm pigs after hours?
• Do employees frequent county fairs, sale barns?
• Do employees leave the unit during the day and
  then return without showering?
• Do employees ever enter the trucks being loaded
  or unloaded?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Are all trucks that are used to deliver and pick
  up pigs washed, disinfected, and allowed to dry
  before they back up to the barn loading chute?
• Are the trailers pasteurized?
• Is there an offsite truck wash (trailer baker)
  site for the farm?
• Are drivers required to wear disposable boots and
  coveralls? What do they do with them?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is there a farm biosecurity manual?
• Are biosecurity procedures rigidly enforced and
  are there written penalties for violations?
• Do biosecurity procedures hinder good
  herdsmanship?
• Do the biosecurity procedures force some
  employees to cheat in order to do their job?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is there a bonafide rodent control plan?
• Is the unit bird proofed?
• Is there a fly problem or are there good control
  measures in place?
• How close can other livestock approach the unit?
• Are there professionally looking signs
  identifying the site with emergency s?

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Farm BiosecurityAudit

• Are the dead stock removed in a safe and
  efficient manner with minimal biosecurity risk to
  the animals in the unit?
• Are the deads concealed from view of neighbors
  and visitors?
• Are rendering trucks allowed to come onto the
  premise?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is there clean and comfortable shower facilities
  with plenty of space for undressing and dressing?
• Does the unit provide clean, well-fitting
  clothing and underwear for employees and
  visitors?
• Is there adequate soap, shampoo, and fingernail
  brushes available?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is there a visitor log along with downtime
  requirements at the entrance?
• Are showering procedures and requirements posted
  in a prominent readable format?
• Is the office kept neat, clean, and well
  organized?
• Is there a brush or comb and mirror?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Is the farms overall hygiene good with minimal
  dust, odor, humidity and flies?
• Is there a good record system in place with good
  access by the employees in the barns with routine
  analysis for problems?
• Does the farm practice all-in / all-out, SEW,
  unidirectional pig flow, AI, and proper isolation
  of incoming stock?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Does the farm use a veterinary consultant?
• Are there foot baths with fresh disinfectant at
  the entrances to different barns, phases?
• Are the foot baths cleaned regularly?
• Are the walk ways and alleys washed down
  regularly?
• Are the farm employees PQA Level III certified?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• Are there any serious disease problems in the
  herd? Are pigs post mortem examined?
• What was the sow herd, pre-weaning, nursery,
  finishing mortality rates in the previous twelve
  months?
• Is there routine serological monitoring performed
  on a regular basis?
• When was the last slaughter check done?

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Farm Biosecurity Audit

• What is the water source on the farm?
• Is it chlorinated? filtered?
• Has it been checked lately?
• Are there any open flush gutters employed on the
  farm?
• Does manure ever back up over the slats?
• Do any animals ever have access to dirt?

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Biosecurity is a journey...not a desination.