Biosecurity and Zoonoses

Question 1

What is an animal’s flight zone?

Answer 1

How close you can get to an animal before they move. Older, more handled animals will have a smaller flight zone whilst younger heifers (e.g.,) will have a larger flight zone.

Question 2

What are 2 key features to consider when approaching a calf + cow?

Answer 2

1) Never turn your back to the cow
2) Keep the calf between you and the cow at all times

Question 3

What are some signs of aggression in cows?

Answer 3

Tail and head flicking
Pawing the ground

Question 4

What are 6 signs of aggression in bulls?

Answer 4

1) Tail swishing
2) Low pitch
3) Eye whites visible
4) Pawing ground
5) Frothing at the mouth
6) Head bobbing

Important for bulls to have a large flight zone as they are so unpredictable due to their hormones.

Question 5

Which of the three run types is the most common/ best for aggression?
1) Funnel run
2) Stepped run
3) Crowding run

Answer 5

Crowding run

Question 6

What is an animal’s balance point?

Answer 6

When moving animals, this is the line that if you overstep, the cow/ animal will stop moving or retreat.

Question 7

What is the difference between biosecurity and biocontainment?

Answer 7

Biosecurity reduces the introduction of new diseases onto a farm from outside sources

Biocontainment reduces the movement of infectious diseases on the farm itself.

Question 8

What should be considered when purchasing animals?

Answer 8

1) Need to know the health history and status of purchased animals
2) Need to know the animal’s vaccination history
3) Only get ewes lambs and gimmers, not older sheep.

Question 9

What are 5 methods of infection spreading (in sheep)?

Answer 9

• Introduction of a diseased, incubating or disease-carrying sheep
• Spread by people or equipment travelling between farms (e.g., vets)
• Other species (e.g., birds and rats)
• Water and feed
• Manure

Question 10

What are the 4 main principles of biosecurity?

Answer 10

1) Selection = select of known sources and health status
2) Isolation = isolate new arrivals for 30 days
3) Movement control = vehicles, animals and people. Keep accurate record to track disease
4) Sanitation = disinfect equipment, people and equipment entering. Keep fallen stock at the perimeter of the farm.

Question 11

What are the main entry points (4) for pathogens into the body?

Answer 11

• Ingestion
• Inhalation
• Mucous membranes
• Cuts, scratches

Question 12

How could disease enter/ leave a farm?

Answer 12

Acquiring/ selling animals, equipment, visitors, water and food, insects and wildlife.

Question 13

How is animal health defined?

Answer 13

A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being, not just merely the absence of disease or infirmity.

Question 14

What is the definition of an emerging disease?

Answer 14

Disease that hasn’t occurred in humans before (or has, but in small numbers)

Question 15

What is a re-emerging disease?

Answer 15

Disease that reappear after they have been on a significant decline.

Question 16

What is a zoonosis?

Answer 16

Any disease that is naturally transmissable from vertebrate animals to humans.

Question 17

What is the difference between endemic, pandemic and epidemic?

Answer 17

Endemic = constant presence in a population
Epidemic = a sharp increase in the number of cases of a disease cases of a disease - above what is normally expected in a population.
Pandemic = spreads over large areas, multiple countries and affects many people.

Question 18

What is a neglected zoonosis?

Answer 18

Zoonosis in a poor area where control is sub-optimal. Education and facilities are poor so disease spreads much faster.

Question 19

Why are hierarchies so important?

Answer 19

In the wild - grouping occurs based on food, breeding etc. Must recognise competitions and create a dominance hierarchy (older tend to dominate younger). This hierarchy reduces aggression.