Unit 4a: Biosecurity Flashcards
(32 cards)
Goals of National Standards for Biosecurity
- animal disease incidence and production losses to disease will be reduced
- risk of zoonotic disease will be reduced
- the potential for development and spread of AMR will be reduced
- won’t need to use AGPs (antibiotic growth promoters) and treatment for disease will be reduced
Biosecurity Definition
a set of management practices designed to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases, and maximize disease resistance (ie through vaccination)
a good biosecurity plan is proactive in reducing the risk of disease, and therefore has a positive effect on animal health, welfare, and productivity and reducing AMR, and risk of zoonosis
Why the need for National Biosecurity Standards
reason 1
- increased emerging diseases
can include the following scenarios- emergence of new disease
- emergence of an infectious disease in a geographical region not previously affected
- emergence of an infectious disease in a species not formally considered to be affected by the pathogen
- an unexpected rapid increase in the incidence of an infectious disease in a geographical region, or a species
- an infectious disease that is perceived to have “emerged”, but this is simply due to our increased knowledge or awareness of the disease
Why the need for National Biosecurity Standards
reason 2-9
- more attention to zoonosis
- more attention to traceability
- greater focus on preventative as opposed to treatment, this change in philosophy will help reduce animal disease, zoonosis and AMR
- intensive farming has changed disease epidemiology
- globalized movement of people and goods has made for the rapid spread of contaminated products and disease
- novel production practices in agriculture: ie. intensification, diversification, changing poultry systems, organic farming
- ensure consumer confidence
- value-added products
Benefits of a Biosecurity Plan
- improved animal health and welfare
- keep out emerging diseases
- control endemic diseases
- reduce the cost of disease prevention and treatment
- reduce antibiotic usage and therefore risk of AMR
- produce safe high-quality products
- increase buyer and consumer confidence
- protect human health
- minimize potential farm income losses
- enhance the value of the herd
- maintain or access new markets for genetics
Definition of Endemic q
infectious diseases that are consistently present within a population –> reduced animal production and leads to premature culling from the population
Key Actions of a Biosecurity Plan
- EXCLUDE: prevent the introduction of a pathogen to livestock (emerging pathogens)
- MANAGE: prevent the spread of pathogens among livestock within a farm (endemic pathogens)
- CONTAIN: prevent the spread of pathogens between farms or across populations (emerging and endemic pathogens)
Elements of a Good Biosecurity Team
the foundation for developing a good plan involves evaluating a farm to determine potential risks for entry and spread of disease and identifying practical methods of limiting or mitigating these risks
a good biosecurity team includes the following:
- farm building architect
- farm manager
- herd vet
- extension specialist
- nutritionist
- hired farm hands
Steps to Developing a Farm-level Biosecurity plan
conduct a risk assessment to determine disease problems, their magnitude, and the likelihood of occurrence
establish producer goals for production and animal health
diagram farm layout, identifying production areas and animal movement pathways
assign risk levels to various production and management areas of the farm to determine potential risk areas of greatest concern and vulnerability
identify specific areas of concern
determine risk tolerance to animal or product loss from infectious disease
outline methods for prevention and control
adopt the farm biosecurity plan; the plan should remain flexible and be open to new scientific knowledge and tech.
Restricted Access Zone (RAZ)
this is a high risk area of disease transmission or spread that includes
- animal housing
- pasture area
- manure storage
Controlled Access Zone (CAZ)
this area surrounds the RAZ and separates it from the house and yard it contains the following - storage sheds - deadstock area - vistor parking
Transition Points
entrance from the house, road and parking area into the CAZ
milk house and loading chute are transition points for the restricted access zone
Animal Health Management
a herd plan is in place that encourages resistance to diseases of concern and includes practices to track health status and respond proactively to disease risk
- maintain a client-vet relationship
- observe, record, and evaluate
- recognize susceptibility and maintain seperation
- regularly monitor and investigate sickness/death
- manage feed , water, bedding
The following are recommended as part of the health management program:
- vaccination strategies for various age groups
- a disease testing program
- treatment protocols for common diseases
- a euthanasia protocol
- necropsy dead animals
- conforming to milk and meat withdrawal periods for drug-treated animals
- a management strategy for sick animals that are receiving drug treatment
- a colostrum management program for calves
it is also important to keep records of individual and herd health
minimizng animal interactions between distinctive production/ management areas can be achieved by:
- providing a separate maternity and calf-raising area from herd to protect susceptible calves
- isolating sick animals from herd in a hospital or a designated “sick pen”
- maintaining a clean feed mixing area to prevent contamination
- restricting traffic to manure holding and storage areas
should also involve monitoring animals for disease
Animal Additions and movement
it cattle are required to be added to the herd, their health status is reliably known at the time of purchase. they should be adequately vaccinated and kept isolated from the herd until they represent no significant disease risk.
animal movement on the farm should be predetermined
limit purchase frequency and number of sources
- attempt to rear on ofarm replacement heifers
- purchase animals from farms with similar or better health status
- transport replacement animals with your own vehicle, or with a commercial transporter who has a well-sanitized truck
- avoid co-mingling replacement animals during transport with other animals from other animals
Know the health status of purchased animals
- suppliers should provide animal and herd health records
- use direct sourcing rather than auction markets
- make use of diagnostic testing for disease
- purchasing semen or embryos from known suppliers dramatically reduces the risk of introducing disease into the herd
Segregate, isolate and monitor
- isolate purchased replacements and animals returning from fair/shows for 2-4 weeks
- vaccinate when necessary
- enhance biosecurity measures between isolation and herd to avoid disease transmission
- isolation area should be separate housing with no shared water, feed, equipment facilities or bedding with the rest of the herd
- make sure isolation unit waste doesn’t cross-contaminate the rest of the herd
- avoid purchasing lactating cows, and if you have to, milk them last
Test, vaccine and/or treat
- animals should be disease tested, treated and vaccinated in accordance with the vets recommendations and records should be kept
- newly purchased animals should be disease tested, treated and vaccinated during isolation period
record location and movement
- since 2006, all cattle leaving their herd of origin must be tagged with a Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA)-approved RFID tag
- some dairy farmers also use additional tracking systems including, neck tags and transponders to monitor cow movement and feed intake
- some companies also cell temp monitoring systems that can be used to detect heat stress, estrus, acidosis and infection
manage movement within the production unit
- a movement flow plant should be desinged to consider risk points throughout the production area
- movements should go from young to old, more susceptible to less susceptible and healthy to sick
- movement through isolation and treatment areas should be avoided
- keep movement pathways clear of manure and disinfect after transporting sick animal
Premises Management and sanitation
producers and farm workers all contribute to the maintenance, cleaning and disinfection, required throughout the production unit and management of manure, waste, deadstock, and pests in a prescribed manner
provide materials and equipment for cleaning and disinfection and instruction on their use:
- good hygiene is the responsibility of all farm personnel
- standardized management and sanitation procedures should be posted at all high-risk areas
- knowledge of sanitation procedures should be passed on to visitors, and farmhands should be well trained in these procedures with the assistance of signage
procedures should be monitored
