Biosecurity and applications in livestock

Question 1

What is included in biosecurity?

Answer 1

1.precautions taken to reduce the risk of exposure to disease

2. prevent introduction of infectious disease
3. Minimize the risk of disease transmission
   (between animals, between people, between geographical locations, between species)

Question 2

What does biosecurity impact?

Answer 2

-animal health and welfare
-human health
-food safety
-international trade
-good business practices
-legal accountability
-economic sustainability

Question 3

What is the most effective means of disease control?

Answer 3

Biosecurity
-cheap and effective
-no disease prevention program will work without it

Question 4

Weaknesses of biosecurity

Answer 4

• Minimal scientific study of biosecurity effectiveness

-biosecurity practices are very different from current practices= impractical

• difficult to quantify risk or benefit of disease prevention and exclusion practices

Question 5

Examples of biosecurity measure research for calves

Answer 5

-separate shelters for calves vs cows

-move cow-calf pairs to nursery pasture within 48hrs

-calves from herds where animals were purchased a month before calving= mortality rate higher

Question 6

Biosecurity ARITS

Answer 6

Assess
Resist
Isolate
Traffic
Sanitation

Question 7

Assessment

Answer 7

-take a look at what could go wrong… assess the risk

-evaluate potential to control, reduce or eliminate each risk identified

Question 8

Risk assessment

Answer 8

-look at additions, movements, contacts, people, things, products, wildlife, contamination of feed or water, envrionmental

Question 9

RITS

Answer 9

-maximize resistance
-isolate from outside and within
-control exposure and potential spread
-clean!

Question 10

Resistance

Answer 10

refers to the animals disease defence mechanisms having the ability to not become infected if they are exposed

*vaccine programs
*reduce stress, poor nutrition, housing, lack of consistent management

Question 11

Local vaccine example

Answer 11

Cows vaccinated with modified live OR inactivated vaccine were more likely to be pregnant than unvaccinated

Question 12

Increasing resistance in calves

Answer 12

Maximize colostrum consumption by newborn calves

Question 13

Factors affecting passive transfer in calves

Answer 13

Decreased serum IgG
-twin pregnancy
-first calf heifers
-any assistance at calving

Any dystocia

Question 14

Isolation

Answer 14

Prevent introduction of infected animals
**Keep a closed herd

-can involve purchased animals, animals sharing fences, bulls are borrowed or loaned, animals transported

Question 15

Cattle shows

Answer 15

Cattle going to shows is a biosecurity risk

Question 16

Community pasture risks

Answer 16

Mixing together of herds of varying infection status and immunity
-crowding of cattle in Fall during sorting
-individuals are often at ideal stage of gestation for fetal infection to occur with BVD
-breeding allows for venereal transmission

Question 17

Isolation and management

Answer 17

BEST
-bring in only semen and embryos
-bring only animals from uninfected herds
-bring only animals with known disease status and vaccine status
-avoid purchase of animals of unknown source and cattle that have mingled during sale
WORST

Question 18

Isolation testing

Answer 18

Few diseases to test for isolation
-test for BVD and Trichomonas, Johne’s disease
-treat calves born to purchased cattle as if they are new introductions = isolate and test for BVDV

Question 19

Minimize disease transfer

Answer 19

-test for disease if you can
-transport animals in owned truck
-quarantine new animals
-minimize commingling and movement of infected animals
-all in all out management
-separate risk groups (young, diseased, manure)