Defra, UK - Farming - Livestock

Farming: Biosecurity

Biosecurity

A good biosecurity regime should always be in place to improve farm efficiency, protect neighbouring farms and the countryside, and safeguard animal and human health.

Biosecurity – meaning "safe life" - is often simply a case of good cleanliness for example washing hands after handling livestock, or disinfecting boots when visiting markets or other farms.

It is important that biosecurity measures are taken as routine as many diseases can be easily spread and disease may not always be apparent, especially in the early stages.

Defra's publication Biosecurity Guidance contains information for everyone entering a farm on which livestock is kept to minimise the spread of disease. It covers day-to-day biosecurity and measures needed when a notifiable disease has broken out.

The key points have also been summarised in the Better Biosecurity Provides leaflet.

Key biosecurity measures

Reduce where possible the movements of people, vehicles or equipment into areas where farm animals are kept. This will minimise potential contamination with manure, slurry and other products that could carry disease.
Where direct contact with farm animals occurs then cleanse and disinfect protective clothing, footwear, equipment, vehicles before and after contact, or where practicable use disposable protective clothing.

Biosecurity is not just to protect farm animals, it is also to protect farm workers and members of the public who may visit the farm. This is particularly important if you hold farm open days or farm visits.

The Health and Safety Executive provides guidance for anyone responsible for running open days in its information sheet Avoiding ill health at open farms – advice to farmers.

The micro-organisms that cause some diseases are subject to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002. These place a number of obligations on employers and the self employed to manage the risk, exposure and control. For more information on general farm safety see Farmwise – the essential guide to health and safety in agriculture. You can also download a health carry card with notes on good practice for workers from the HSE website.

Biosecurity at livestock markets and shows

The spread of disease is a serious risk at livestock markets, where animals come into close contact with other, potentially infected, livestock or equipment. There are a number of measures which should be taken to minimise this risk:

DON'T bring onto or take off the market any vehicle, equipment or clothing contaminated with animal excreta.
DON'T leave the animal area without cleaning any contamination from your clothes
DON'T leave the animal area without cleansing and disinfecting your boots

These rules are enforced under the Animal Gatherings (England) Order 2004.

If you break the rules on cleansing and disinfection of livestock vehicles you will be committing an offence under the Transport of Animals (Cleansing and Disinfection) (England) (No. 3) Order 2003 which may lead top prosecution.

Markets and showgrounds must be cleaned and disinfected after use with an approved disinfectant – if this is not possible, there is a legal requirement to rest them for 27 days.

Livestock movements

Recording of livestock movements is an essential way to track the source of a disease and to minimise the spread of any infection.

The method of identification and the procedure for notifying movements depends upon the animal species. Further details for cattle, deer, horses, pigs, sheep and goats can be seen on the identification and tracing pages of the Defra website

Because diseases may not always be apparent, especially in early stages, compulsory standstill periods for sheep, cattle, goats and pigs have been introduced.

A standstill period means that if a new animal is brought onto a farm, there is a period of time when other animals cannot be moved off the farm.

Movement of sheep, cattle and goats onto a holding will trigger a six-day standstill period in which no sheep, cattle or goats can leave the farm.

The standstill period for pigs is 20 days. You can apply for an exemption to these standstills if your animals have been attending a show.

Bringing new animals onto your farm always presents a disease risk, so it is essential you know the health status of any animals before buying them. When they first arrive on the farm it is advised that the new animals are kept separate from the other livestock and that you handle isolated stock last.

In the case of disease

Should a contagious disease appear on your farm, it is vital to implement biosecurity measures to limit its spread.

Some types of disease which pose particular risks are notifiable, and if suspected must be reported immediately to a Defra Divisional Veterinary Manager.

In the case of a notifiable disease outbreak, movement restrictions on animals and sometimes people are likely to be imposed, and warning signs may have to be erected.

Defra's Animal Health and Welfare Strategy

Defra’s Animal Health and Welfare Strategy sets out to improve animal health and welfare standards over the next 10 years.

A key part to this is that ‘prevention is better than cure’ as animals that are cared for appropriately and in accordance with existing welfare standards are more likely to be healthy, and less likely to contract or spread disease.

The strategy advocates developing a Farm Health Plan. This would involve:

identifying the risks of introduction and spread of disease and infections
early recognition of disease
prioritising measures to control existing problems and manage risks, including the responsible use of medicines.

Biosecurity for poultry keepers

To avoid disease in a poultry flock it is essential to provide clean drinking water and food, preferably indoors to prevent contamination by wild birds and other animals.

Other measures include isolating new birds, preparing a plan should the flock need to be brought indoors, and thoroughly cleaning and disinfecting housing at the end of a cycle.

See Defra’s Biosecurity and preventing disease leaflet for further details on general biosecurity measures for poultry keepers.

Defra has also produced specific guidance for protecting against infection and spread of avian influenza (bird flu).

For further information on biosecurity measures see Biosecurity FAQ pages on the Defra website.