Biosecurity at Livestock Dairy Farms
SURUCHI SHARMA*1 and SAHIL SHARMA2
1M.V.Sc. Veterinary Biochemistry DGCN COVAS, CSKHPKV, Palampur, 2M.V.Sc. Animal Nutrition DGCN COVAS, CSKHPKV, Palampur
*Corresponding author’s email: suruchis91@gmail.com
Biosecurity means to reduce and prevent the introduction of infectious diseases or pests of animals on a farm and to minimize the spread of infectious diseases or pests within a farm. The biosecurity plan can protect the dairy farm from outside pathogens and reduce the transmission of infectious diseases.
Biosecurity is divided into two parts: external and internal
External biosecurity: It means those practices that minimize the transmission of pathogens from the farm. This includes the management of routine visitors such as milk truck, feed delivery vehicles, harvesters, etc. The main actions included in the biosecurity plan for dairy farms should reduce the risk of infectious diseases to be introduced by employees and visitors (Table 1).
Table 1 shows Biosecurity measures that are designed to reduce the risk of the infectious diseases to be introduced by employees and visitors.
| Biosecurity measure | Action |
| Record in the logbook of all farm visitors | Place the visitor logbook at the farm entrance |
| Restrict the access of visitors to the farm | Locking the farm doors |
| Inform unauthorized persons that they are not allowed to enter the farm | Post-warning signs asking visitors not to pass inside the farm and several directing signs to the farm offices |
| The visitors can access the farm only with clean clothes and boots, which they have not used in other farms | Provide clean boots and overall for all visitors |
| The visitors should use a footbath with disinfectant and clean their boots before entering the farm | Place a disinfectant footbath and brushes outside the farm |
| The dealer or transporter of the newly arrived animals is not allowed to enter in farm or in contact with the farm animals | The access of the cars is made on a route that avoids contact with the farm animals, directly toward the quarantine area located at a distance at a distance from the herd |
| The livestock renderer access in the farm or the contact with the cattle is restricted | Dispose dead animals away from the farm and main roads |
Internal biosecurity: It means those practices that prevent transmission of pathogens between areas of the farm. Most harmful and infectious diseases are transmitted from older to younger animals in the farm. Example is footbath at the entrance of the calf shed.
Best ways to protect dairy farm
Core to any biosecurity plan is to keep a closed herd or to work towards a closed herd. Basic guidelines to minimize risk are
- Select all the animals from known source and of good health status.
- Strict isolation which prevents contact between animals after arrival on farm and reduce the risk of spread of infectious agents.
- Movement control of all vehicles, animals and people traffic.
- Cleaning and disinfection of materials, people and equipment entering the farm.
Importance of Biosecurity
Biosecurity is a set of measures that protect a population from infectious diseases at national, regional and farm level. Biosecurity embraces a complete concept of risk assessment and reduction which is aimed at maintaining and improving the health and therefore, welfare, productivity and profitability of the herd that contributes to our livestock industry. Some diseases are zoonotic which means they can be transmitted between humans and animals so good biosecurity can also reduce the risk of disease exposure to farmers, farm workers and to those who provides services on the farm as well as members of the public who visit on the farm.
Benefits of implementing Biosecurity
- Greater productivity on the farm.
- Reduced risk to the farm.
- Early detection and management of any diseases or pests.
- Reduced costs if there is an outbreak of diseases or pests.
It is important that there is no single product or list of products that can completely protect the herd. Biosecurity is the way of thinking and acting for entire team workers. By implementing current Biosecurity practices it will help to think differently about creating a measurable biosecurity plan that will reduce the risk of infectious diseases for animals and the people on the farm.
