Your opinions on biosecurity?

[milkmaid]

For purposes of this post, let's define biosecurity or biocontainment as any disease prevention practices that you do to remove diseased animals (eg BVD PI), prevent diseases from entering your herd, or prevent them from spreading if they're in the herd. (Let's exclude vaccination from this topic as I suspect most of you vaccinate at some level.)

I worked a job several years ago on a large AI/ET facility with a bull stud company, and they had some serious biosecurity protocols in place. I hadn't heard it discussed much before, and even since then, I've gotten the impression from ranchers/producers that biosecurity is a bad word. What do you like or don't like about the term/concept? If you don't have biosecurity practices, what keeps you from doing or considering them?

If you could select the option that best describes your feelings... and then post and give me some idea what you do/don't do as far as biosecurity with your herd or how you feel about the topic (good, bad, or otherwise - please share!), that would be great. I'm just looking for some insight into how you all feel about it.

 

[M5farm]

I had to look up what biosecurity was. When we were in the hog business we used a disinfectant to prevent the transmission of Diseases. We kept a jug of disinfecting solution in the truck to wash our boots before we went into other lots and would burn all brush/ limbs before we put another bunch in that pen. And we always washed our boots entering or leaving the farrowing house. I would suspect its more of a problem with dairy farm or cattle operations that keep animals confined for period of time. I don’t think it applies to most situations where the farm has the acreage to support livestock free range. The exception would be when animals are introduced to an existing herd.

 

[Putangitangi]

I've run a closed herd for several years because of my concerns about bringing in disease I don't have. But - and that's a really big BUT! - my boundaries have proven less secure than I'd like, we have not yet double-fenced every boundary where my stock could have contact with that of the neighbors, although I try hard not to graze those areas when there are cattle on the other side. That's not fail-safe at all.

If visitors come to my farm from other farms, I insist they clean their footwear thoroughly. If they haven't, I take their boots and clean them myself! It gives me peace of mind.

I don't have BVD in my herd, which is the biggest risk by casual infection. I periodically test groups of the cows to check I've not had it come in. I have Neospora in some families, but that's all by vertical transmission.

Biosecurity awareness in my geographical area is very low. Even a TB tester who came last month hadn't bothered to clean his boots, because he assumed I would be as relaxed about it as everyone else he'd been to. The vets can also be very slack about clean equipment and footwear.

Who knows when the next thing we don't yet know about will start traveling around because nobody bothered to ensure they didn't carry it with them?

 

[Jogeephus]

I didn't vote cause biosecurity reeks of government intervention and meddling. I use good animal husbandry and make use of an isolation pen for sick animals or animals that are brought in from the outside. Has worked well for me. Don't need anymore government meddling.

 

[heath]

I've run a closed herd for several years because of my concerns about bringing in disease I don't have. But - and that's a really big BUT! - my boundaries have proven less secure than I'd like, we have not yet double-fenced every boundary where my stock could have contact with that of the neighbors, although I try hard not to graze those areas when there are cattle on the other side. That's not fail-safe at all.

If visitors come to my farm from other farms, I insist they clean their footwear thoroughly. If they haven't, I take their boots and clean them myself! It gives me peace of mind.

I don't have BVD in my herd, which is the biggest risk by casual infection. I periodically test groups of the cows to check I've not had it come in. I have Neospora in some families, but that's all by vertical transmission.

Biosecurity awareness in my geographical area is very low. Even a TB tester who came last month hadn't bothered to clean his boots, because he assumed I would be as relaxed about it as everyone else he'd been to. The vets can also be very slack about clean equipment and footwear.

Who knows when the next thing we don't yet know about will start traveling around because nobody bothered to ensure they didn't carry it with them?

Do you keep hand sanitizer on you at all times too?
:D

 

[milkmaid]

Jo- can you expand on your comments? Government intervention? how? Assuming you're completely serious here, I think your comment might explain why I get these vibes that biosecurity is a four-letter word. I just don't understand where you're coming from.

Keep it civil here y'all. Thanks. :)

 

[backhoeboogie]

There are herds all around me. Bulls bust fences. Flies biting my neighbor's cows come to mine. You cannot put them in a bubble. Take normal practices, precautions and don't fail stupid.

There are way too many rules and regulations. Yes there Are stupid people out there but I am sick of new laws because someone did something stupid.

If you crawl into the backseat of my one ton truck, the law says you gotta put on a seatbelt or else pay a hefty fine. It is legal for you to ride in the back of the truck.

You ain't stopping biting flies with double or triple fences or quarantine pens.

You buy new cows, keep them separated and under observation. Inoculate your cows. It is sound insurance. Common sense. Separate sick animals.

No new laws.

 

[Jogeephus]

Jo- can you expand on your comments? Government intervention? how? Assuming you're completely serious here, I think your comment might explain why I get these vibes that biosecurity is a four-letter word. I just don't understand where you're coming from.

Keep it civil here y'all. Thanks. :)

MM , I can't speak for others but I know a few years ago Biosecurity was a big buzz word with congress when they tried to shove some needless stuff on us. The term was used frequently in sentences with Bioterrorism in an attempt to fear monger and draw us into submission to more government control over our operations. Along about this time a congressional aide asked if I would weigh in on a certain subject which I was more than happy to do. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, they (DotGov) had changed the definition of the word in question to mean something totally different than what was the generally definition of the people outside Washington which changed the context of the whole question. The short of it, I endorsed something I would have never in my wildest dreams approved of.

The word biosecurity reeks of government. I imagine the first thing anyone thinks of when you use the word biosecurity is terrorism and with terrorism you immediately think of the government and with that thought comes the thought of more regulations and loss of freedoms. If you change the wording to Good Animal Husbandry or anything else for that matter, I think you will get a much better response from some people. But that's just me. I just have this dislike for anyone or anything that can't balance their own checkbook telling me how to run my business.

Civil enough? I had to delete a lot. ;-)

 

[regolith]

Being from the same location as Putangitangi, the first thing I think when I see the word biosecurity is the extreme high risk of a new pathogen crossing the natural barriers and establishing in this country. Thus - border control is the first line of defence.

Yes, visitors and vets are often slack. But biosecurity on a herd level for me will mostly have to wait for that distant day when I've got my own place and don't need to pick up my herd and go to a new farm every year or three years, with requirement to purchase cows built into the contract. Even then, the majority of cattle in this area have 'across the fence' contact with at least three other herds. Since establishing this herd I have bought in Johne's, rotavirus, BVD PIs and heck knows what else. Got rid of all the PIs and no more have come into the herd but monitoring is showing escalating levels of infection - now back up to where it was when there were PIs, meaning one of my neighbours' herds is continually re-infecting them.
My main focus so far as biosecurity goes is on the calf housing, and that's as much for the protection of animals I don't own as for the possibility of visitors transferring pathogens to my calves. Truckers, visitors &c *know* they are not allowed into the calf shed but they still do it, some of them having come straight from other calf sheds. I use milking gloves, teatspray &c in the dairy - it's just common sense to keep hands and teats as sanitised and healthy as possible.
Some older farmers will separate out a cow with mastitis - particularly black mastitis. I don't do that because I'm not convinced it spreads that readily at grass.

 

[regolith]

I chose the 2nd option btw. I want a closed herd eventually (all AI or homeraised bulls), but as a sharefarmer there is very little I can do at this stage and I would hope that once I can close the herd I'll also be able to weed out Johnes and BVD and the like.
I was extremely P'd off when I found I had cows with Johne's and then local farmers and vets told me "everyone in this area's got it".

 

[backhoeboogie]

Feral hogs are running on the rampage here. They go anywhere they want and destruct pastures. Your best hay pastures look as tho they have been carpet bombed. These things eat dead creatures and who knows what else and then come onto your property. What are they bringing in?

 

[redcowsrule33]

Biosecurity has no governmental connotations for me, it just means doing your level best to minimize the introduction of diseases to my cattle. We don't have feral pigs but we have plenty of whitetails, coyotes, and birds, and there is little you can do about them. But I can quarantine new animals, test for BVD, BLV, etc, vaccinate, and ask that if someone visits their shoes are clean. I deliver my own feed when I can. And I extend the courtesy of cleanliness to others when I visit their place.

I travel overseas quite a bit, and while I understand that our border control measures may seem a bit extreme and unnecessary to some, the thought of a foot and mouth disease outbreak (or even Schmallenberg virus, if one of our insect vectors suits it) should be of everyone's concern. Maybe the chances are small that it comes here, but no border control will be able to inspect everything, and if foot and mouth comes knocking on your doorstep, your cattle are SCREWED. How good biosecurity is at my place won't matter, as the wind and the deer don't care about fencelines.

 

[NC Liz]

Now I am totally confused.

Is biosecurity and biosolids related.
As I am against bring in biosolds because of the threat of bring in all kids of diseases and bacteria I must also be against biosecurity. Right?

Liz

 

[snake67]

We are hard over on it.

You can come to see me but you better not be coming in your barn clothing.

Most folks have never had a problem.

We did once.

As per normal sitations, like anything - until it becomes and issue that affects you directly - no one really gives to much thought.

My barns and certain areas on the farm are out of bounds to visitors unless they are wearing booties and clean, none farm clothing

Best to all

Bez

 

[milkmaid]

Just bringing this thread back because I'm still interested in it... had a few exams and extra-curricular activities that snuck up on me, but I would like to discuss this a little more.

What's surprising me is the link between the term "biosecurity" and government involvement or laws. I'm in the same boat as Bez and redcows - no government connotations here, just good animal husbandry and steps to prevent someone else's diseases from coming on my place. Or in some places- steps to prevent diseases already on the place from infecting other animals. Just voluntarily coming up with ways to prevent my animals from being exposed to bad "bugs."

Jo, you mentioned using "good animal husbandry" as a term. I like it but think it indicates (at least to me) good animal care in the sense of nutrition, management, treatment, etc. What I'd prefer is a palatable way to present the idea of steps to prevent disease from starting (or spreading). Would a better term be "disease prevention" rather than "biosecurity"...?

I completely understand not wanting someone to tell you what to do. However, is there a palatable way to suggest people voluntarily make their own plans for preventing disease? I've seen some pretty nasty calving wrecks at places where people don't understand how disease gets transmitted between calves. All I'm talking about is the owner (and the veterinarian if necessary) figuring out ways to stop spread of a "bug" on the owner's farm. No enforcement by anyone other than the owner.

The rest of you... if you don't have any "biosecurity" (for lack of another term) protocols at the moment, why not? I know it doesn't work for some operations. I'm spending this summer on a feedlot and with so many animals coming in, biosecurity won't be anything like at the AI facility I worked at. I realize places like BHB's with feral swine coming through - it makes this concept tough. That said... I'm not sure what feral swine would carry that would put cattle or horses at risk. I'm not coming up with anything offhand. The vets here might have input on that?

More thoughts from y'all?

 

[backhoeboogie]

I don't think our legislators are all cattlemen. The laws they pass are drummed up somewhere or another. We make choices now. Apparently my choices are not accepted by others.

The feral hogs flip cow pies up looking for worms (or something). Along with pits in the pasture, every single cow pie is flipped up. When you drive in and see all the dried cow pies on end sideways in the pasture, you know they have been through even if they did not linger and root.

They step in it if nothing else. Read Bez's post. They don't wear booties when the cross fences into the next pasture. They wallow in the ponds and pastures. No one can control it. We do our best but they are out of control and their numbers are steadily increasing.

All I am saying is that I could follow all the protocols and my neighbor's bull will be in every one of my patures within the next month. He goes into other neighbor's pastures. The hogs are probably out there tonight.

This doesn't mean I should give up and quit quarantining new animals or sick animals.

 

[Dave]

On my day job I can be on many farms in a given week. I keep bleach water in my truck to wash off my boots. Mainly because I don't want to be the one who brought in some germ. I avoid going into the livestock areas if not nessecary. I have a couple large egg producers who I visit from time to time. They just don't allow you into the houses. If you need to go into one, it is a complete suit, booties, and a face mask. They don't even let people who work in one set of buildings to eat lunch with the workers from another set of buildings. They definately have biosecurity.
At home..... not so much. About 90% of my pastures flood and there are several very large dairies just upstream. Any bug that they have I will get. On a given year my entire herd will turn over with saleyard cattle. I vaccinate the dickens out of those cattle. I keep new cattle seperate for a time but can only do that for so long and other new cattle need the space. I seperate sick animals but really that is to keep them close to the chute where it is easier to doctor on them.
Most peoples concern about biosecurity relate back to the government using it as an excuse for animal tracability. Which was unpopular to say the least. Luckly in this state that issue got pushed back to a brand being adequate to allow them to trace an animal. Good thing for those of us in brand states. I brand everything so I am not too worried about that issue anymore.

 

[lavacarancher]

I don't bring anything anything on my property that has not been tested and a clean bill of health given. Additionally, my cattle are worked twice a year and vaccinations given to prevent any of the more common diseases one might expect to encounter. Also, I don't use feed that contains animal by products or chicken shyt if I know about it. I believe the less government involvement we have the better.

 

[Putangitangi]

Here were our feral pig population can carry Lepto and presumably not much else (TB not in the wild animal populations in this area at this point), we vaccinate the herd for Lepto, because that's one thing we know we couldn't exclude. BVD though - you bet we're vigilant.

If FMD comes on the wind one day, we're finished.

 

[greybeard]

Had a post submitted related to Jo's, (and the way the poll's first option is worded) but it went "poof" sometime in the last couple hours..
Guess I won't bother repeating it.
I'm not much on buzzwords anyway.