7 – Health & Biosecurity

Question 1

Canadian biosecurity standards

Answer 1

• Developed by Canadian Swine Health Board
• National standards: recognizes regional differences
• Awareness and interest at farm level varies (greatest at breeding stock herds, lowest for commercial herds)
• Opportunity for vets

Question 2

Biosecurity

Answer 2

• Procedures that are enforced for the purpose of preventing disease INTRODUCTION into farm (external biosecurity) or within rooms/areas within the farm (internal biosecurity)

Question 3

Biocontainment

Answer 3

• Procedures to limit risk of pathogens leaving farm/site

Question 4

Essential concepts of biosecurity (10)

Answer 4

1. Locate unit in an isolated site
2. Respect the protective zones
3. Visitation and entry rules
4. Isolate or quarantine replacement stock
5. Slaughter load out procedures
6. Feed ingredients and delivery
7. Dead stock removal
8. Effective vermin control
9. Audit INTERNAL biosecurity procedures
10. Develop a WRITTEN plan

Question 5

Locate unit in an isolated site

Answer 5

• Western Canada: target=3.2km
• Breeding stock: larger distances (8km)
• *air filtration on barns in hog dense regions
• More dense in Europe

Question 6

Respect the protective zones: RAZ and CAZ

Answer 6

• *restricted access zone (RAZ): production unit
• *controlled access zone (CAZ): perimeter zone

Question 7

Respect the protective zones

Answer 7

• Controlled entry, doors locked, deterrent signage
  o Gates and fences to restrict access into CAZ
  o Sign-in logs
  o GPS tracking
  o Purpose built driveways and parking lots

Question 8

Visitation and entry rules

Answer 8

• Pig freedom period (12-96hrs depending on farm)
• Personnel movement down pyramid from highest (nursery) to lower (finisher) health status
• Restricted visitation

Question 9

Rigid entry procedures

Answer 9

• Plastic boot covers
• Sign in book (visitation log)
• Shower or ‘Danish’ entry
• Provide in-barn clothing
• Disinfect all supplies and tools

Question 10

‘Danish’ entry

Answer 10

• Boot drop, coat rack and boat mat
• Bench! (SEPARATION!)
• Clean zone: socks only
• Change room/showers

Question 11

Isolate or quarantine replacement stock

Answer 11

• Quarantine barns strongly recommended
• Safe but practical distance from main unit (>100m)
• Quarantine period (30-60 days) allows time for development of clinical signs and detectable serologic response

Question 12

Daily management for quarantine replacement stock

Answer 12

• Designated staff
• End of day
• Shower in and out
• Separate feed and effluent
• Monitor clinical signs

Question 13

Slaughter load out procedures

Answer 13

• Truck sanitation: clean and decontaminate after each load
• Vehicle inspection by staff or 3rd party
• DRIVERS say OUTSIDE barn, wear clean boots and coveralls
• LOAD OUT ROOM DESIGN AND OPERATION one-way flow (clean + disinfect!)

Question 14

Feed ingredients and delivery

Answer 14

• Ingredient sourcing
• Feed/ingredient holding times
• Cross-contamination
• Delivery procedures
• Fumigation for bagged products
• *how PEDV (porcine epidemic diarrheic virus) came into Canada

Question 15

Feed holding time:

Answer 15

• 20 degree C for 20 days OR
• 10 degree C for 100 days

Question 16

Dead stock removal: rendering

Answer 16

• adequate truck sanitation
• safe pick up zone (outside CAZ)
• Transfer from RAZ

Question 17

Dead stock removal: composting

Answer 17

• Equipment
• Location
• Thoroughness of decomposition
• Wildlife access
• Aeration of compost
• organic matter

Question 18

Dead stock removal: incineration

Answer 18

• operational costs
• location
• transfer from RAZ

Question 19

Effective vermin control

Answer 19

• mice, rats, birds, water fowl, dogs, cats, flies, insects
• *BAITING WITHIN RAZ and CAZ
• Cleanliness: spilled feed, cut grass around facility
• Screen inlets to prevent entry of birds
• *needs to be properly MAINTAINED

Question 20

Examples of vermin-transmitted diseases

Answer 20

• swine dysentery: mice, rats
• PRRSV: flies, mosquitos
• Leptospirosis: skunks, raccoons
• Influenza: humans

Question 21

Audit INTERNAL biosecurity procedures

Answer 21

• Ensure timely treatment of sick animals
• Ensure timely euthanasia of ‘chronic’ animals
• Boot baths between rooms
• Personnel hygiene when handling sick pigs
• Adequate room sanitation
• Proper pig flow

Question 22

Develop a WRITTEN plan

Answer 22

• Comprehensive
• Accurate and detailed
• Dynamic: update as new situations arise
  o Foreign temporary workers
  o Strep. zooepidemicus
• Contractual agreement between visitor and unit

Question 23

Vet’s role in swine industry: 4 areas

Answer 23

• Professional services
• Animal health industry
• Regulatory/government
• Research: industry, academia, farm

Question 24

Professional services of a vet in the swine industry

Answer 24

• Herd health, health assurance, diagnostics, training, disease control/prevention
• Non-traditional consultation: production, nutrition, repro
• Quality assurance and welfare audits
• Regulatory: export, AI certification

Question 25

Animal health industry : vet in the swine industry

Answer 25

• Technical services
• Sales/marketing
• Management

Question 26

How would you help a farm that has 1200 sow, 2-sites reduce post-wean mortality which averages >6% in the nursery?

Answer 26

• Disinfect
• Delay weaning: shift exposure window to be more self-protected
  o Allow them to be heavier
• Shift the diet?
• *Maybe look at sows and litter size
• Temperature: sick in first week and then die in second week+

Question 27

Why might you have light litters?

Answer 27

• Too many piglets per litter
• *balance