Swine Production BIOSECURITY
by Sophia Hortin
What is BIOSECURITY
Biosecurity are measures taken by swine producers that prevent and control disease by limiting and tracking the movement of equipment, people, and animals, but can also consist of disinfection and vaccination procedures. This includes coming to and from the farm, near the farm (when possible), and moving within the farm.
People
Everyone
Before entering the farm all people must have multiple foot bathes to wash all pathogens from their feet. In addition everyone must where plastic slip on boots while they move around the farm. Often upon arrival people are asked to take a disinfectant shower and then move into another "clean" room separated from the arrival room. People should also "shower out" upon exit of the farm
Employees
In addition to showers and precautions that apply to every person, employees are often required to have no contact with any other hogs outside of the operation they work on. Also, if they come into contact with the isolation herd they should not have any contact with the main herd. Office employees that deal with foot traffic and visitors often shouldn't have much contact with the animals. All meals should be eaten on site and an employee must never leave the farm during the work day. Often times, employees must change clothes when they get to work. They will wear clothes that have always been kept and washed on site.
Visitors
In addition to all "everyone" protocols, visitors must do much more. Visitors must sign in at an office on the perimeter of the farm. They must specify their name, date entering, reason, and last time and place in contact with swine (must be more than 24 hours before visit). They then must also take a disinfectant shower and put on new clothes from the farm. They must also wear plastic covers over their shoes. While inside the operation visitors should have constant contact with employees rather in person or over radio. There should be no visitors when there are no employees on premises.
Boots
A visitor slides on plastic boot covers after a disinfection shower.
Clothes
A farm employee is now dressed in farm issued clothes to begin her work day.
Shower
All people on the farm have gone through a disinfecting shower, like this one, before entering.
Animals
All in, All out System
An all in all out system basically means that a group of pigs stays together for life. When one litter of pigs is weaned from the farrowing room they will move from pen to pen together. No pigs are added and no pigs will move groups. The reason for this is so that producers know that all pigs in that group have had the exact same pathogen exposure and so that a member of one group doesn't bring a pathogen to another group that has never been exposed to it. The pigs stay together until they leave the farm.
New Animals
New animals brought into a farm are often isolated far away from the herd before being integrated. The animals are often tested for certain types of diseases. They are isolated here for anywhere between thirty and sixty days to avoid the instance that healthy looking animals could still be holding pathogens.
Feeding and Chore Order
In the scenario that an employee works with multiple groups/ages of animals per day they should always work in a youngest to oldest order. Older sows have been exposed to more pathogens and are more resistant to disease than younger pigs or younger sows. Once a worker has been exposed to more pathogens (in the older sow barn) they should not return to a farrowing room or nursery where they could endanger younger pigs. The only instance where this would be allowed is if they re-shower and change clothes.
All in, All out
These piglets are moving pens together at an operation that uses an All in, All out system for disease prevention.
Chores
this employee is caring for older animals without litters at this time. He will not return to the piglets.
Isolation
These pig pens are empty and disinfected. That's because these are the isolation pens that are ready to test new pigs coming to the farm.
Other
Other
Though Animal's and People are two very major segments in biosecurity, there are others such as: disinfection, feeding routine, and vehicle travel. I encourage you to learn more.
Bibliography
Seaman, Joanna, and Thomas Fangman. "Biosecurity for Today's Swine Operation." G2340. N.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015.
Sterle, Jodi, Angela I. Dement, and Floron C. Faries. Biosecurity for Swine Producers. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Web. 08 Sept. 2015.
"AO ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND HEALT." SpringerReference (2011): n. pag. Web. 08 Sept. 2015.