Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay

(Photo : Gerd Altmann from Pixabay)

What is biosecurity?

Biosecurity, in the context of farming, involves the implementation of practices and procedures on-farm to reduce the risk of diseases being brought on-site and spreading among livestock.

A bit of context

2022 has seen the most devastating spread of avian influenza on record. Wild seabird colonies in coastal areas and Scottish islands including the Shetlands have proven devastating and such outbreaks sound an even louder alarm to poultry farmers who have already suffered losses this year. Just days prior to writing this article there was another outbreak on a poultry farm in Devon giving credence to the concerns that the prevalence of bird flu in coastal seabird colonies could lead to outbreaks in the UK's poultry farms. 

This potentially nightmarish scenario being faced by poultry farmers, especially (but not exclusively) free range farmers, is proof positive that without regular biosecurity audits and the robust and comprehensive implementation of the resultant recommendations, farmers are playing with viral fire.

The importance of biosecurity on farms and what it involves

We have highlighted the enhanced need for biosecurity today, in the light of the current outbreak of bird flu, but this is actually only one piece of a complex puzzle when it comes to the pressing need for a thorough biosecurity plan for every farm. Biosecurity has often been maligned as a result of its perceived trade-off with animal welfare. For instance - avoiding keeping animals outside but failing to maintain the indoor environment to a high standard. However this need not be the case and in fact, animal welfare and biosecurity can and should, in the main, go hand in hand. A recent study published in Animal has shown that a joined up approach to biosecurity and animal welfare reduced the need for antimicrobial use in pig farms. This shows that there doesn't have to be a trade off and is great news not least as antimicrobial resistance resulting from over-administration is in itself a threat to biosecurity.

Biosecurity is important not least because in the livestock industry (and indeed in most businesses) prevention is always preferable than cure. Nowhere is this truer than in animal diseases, not least because some of the more damaging threats to livestock today, including bird flu, salmonella and Newcastle disease are incurable and any available vaccines are patchy at best. This means a huge emphasis should be placed on prevention and that means biosecurity. 

The first thing a farmer seeking to address biosecurity concerns should consider is a biosecurity audit. A biosecurity audit involves many factors. Firstly it is absolutely vital to understand the layout and surrounding areas of the farm itself. What lies beyond each border? What animal species live in or migrate over the surrounding area? How adequate is the degree of separation between distinct flocks, herds or species? Fully understanding the layout of the farm itself is the first step to identifying an areas of improvement. When it comes to taking the next steps it is definitely worth considering the help of a reputable biosecurity company. In the UK we have the likes of Livetec, who are industry leaders for livestock protection and designing as well as encouraging the implementation of biosecurity plans on-farm. Such experts provide invaluable insight into the most efficient biosecurity protocols on a case-by-case basis, so as a farmer you would end up with a bespoke plan that fits the unique needs of your particular farm, its location and the nature of your livestock.

Biosecurity challenges

One of the great biosecurity challenges involves getting all members of staff to buy into any plan. This is where training comes in. It is human nature (as we have seen in many countries as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic) to respond when the problem is visible. However, in biosecurity this is too late. It is imperative that all members of staff are educated and trained on biosecurity measures. Boot dips, disease monitoring, record-keeping, visitor logs cleanliness and all other protocols are vitally important tools in the armoury of a biosecurity plan and it only takes one untrained member of staff or a visitor unaware of procedure to tear a hole in the fabric of said plan. Any changes in feed suppliers or the purchase of livestock from another source need to be documented and any new livestock should be separated, initially, from existing herds or flocks.

Finally it is worth mentioning that year on year understanding of biosecurity evolves and must respond to new threats and there are often great webinars available online that can provide a summary of recent developments in the field.