Biosecurity & Environmental

Question 1

Define biosecurity

Answer 1

’ a set of management and physical measures designed to reduce the
risk of introduction, establishment and spread of animal diseases,
infections or infestations to, from and within an animal population’.

Question 2

Routes of dx from Animal to Animal?

Answer 2

• Fence boundaries/common grazing
• Markets/shows
• Hire bulls
• Incoming stock
• Infected Faeces
• Farm cat/dogs
• Wildlife/vermin

Question 3

Routes of dx (Vectors & fomites)

Answer 3

• Contractors/equipment
• Vehicles
• Humans.. including the vet!
• Needles
• Boots
• Feed/bedding
• Contaminated water (rivers/streams)

Question 4

Other OFF routes of dx

Answer 4

• Animals - dairy calves/ stores/ livery horses
• Produce - milk, crops, forage etc
• Slurry/ manure

Question 5

Possible routes of disease WITHIN farm ?

Answer 5

Shared airspace
* Shared grazing
* Drainage
* Vermin/wildlife
* Shared equipment
* Stockman/farmer
* Feeding waste milk
* Aborted material etc.

Question 6

what biosecurity measures for animal-> animal transmisssion?

Answer 6

• Quarantine and testing of incoming stock
• Fencing
• Vaccination
• Pest /wildlife control
• Maintain a closed herd
• Buy from known sources/health status

Question 7

What biosecurity measures for vectors/ fomites?

Answer 7

• Gates and barriers!
• Visitor books
• Showers
• Effective PPE
• Foot dips
• Vehicles- visually clean, wheel washes etc
• Well maintained/fences drainage ditches
• Signage
• Buy bedding/feed from known sources only
• Spread manure on arable land not grassland
• Training staff

Question 8

Describe biocontainment measures within a farm

Answer 8

• Isolation of sick animals
• Avoid mixing stock
• Low stocking density/adequate ventilation
• Good drainage and bedding management
• Vaccination
• Efficient treatment
• All in/all out policy with C&D
• Good hygiene e.g. feeding equipment
• Dedicated equipment/PPE
• SOPs/training
• Stock flow management/housing design
• Vermin control/wildlife proofing

Question 9

what do you need to do to make an effective bioS plan?

Answer 9

• Assess what diseases are already present
• Assess the site – building design, materials, dead bins etc. and identify potential infection
  pathways.
• Are there any existing biosecurity SOPs – if so, are they followed correctly
• Visual assessment of cleanliness
• Microbiological assessment of cleanliness – if it looks clean is it microbiologically clean?

Question 10

How do we do environmental monitoring?

Answer 10

May sample for the following:
* Bacteria – e.g.. Salmonella, E.coli
* Parasites e.g.. mites, coccidia
* Insect vectors – e.g.. litter beetles in poultry
sheds (Alphitobius diapernius)
* Yeasts/moulds /mycotoxins –e.g. testing silage
* Viruses – don’t often test environment but can
make assumptions based on confirmed
presence and published survival times. e.g.. AIV

Question 11

Describe Salmonella testing (NCP) in layer flocks

Answer 11

• Acceptable level = 0
• If test +ve for non-vaccine strains of S.Enteritidis or
  S.Typhimurium, eggs can’t be sold as grade A and
  flock may be culled.

Question 12

Describe Water sampling in pig units

Answer 12

• TVC (22°C) -> <1000 CFU per ml
• TVC (37°C) -> <1000 CCFU per 100 ml FU per ml
• Total coliforms <100
• E.Coli - none detected in 100ml

Question 13

What 5 steps of Cleaning & Disinfection?

Answer 13

1. Remove organic matter – remove faecal matter, dust , feed debris as organics matter can
   denature some disinfectants
2. Use detergent – pressure washing with water alone not enough to breakdown the oily
   biofilm that can protect bacteria.
3. Clean – careful of the splash!
4. Dry
5. Disinfect – at the correct dilution rate for correct contact time. Use a pathogen specific
   disinfectant A low-pressure application is best e.g.. knapsack sprayer.

Question 14

what considerations of C&D

Answer 14

• check details (active in presence of OM)
• consider environmental impact
• Remember H&S (don’t breathe in ….)