Assessing Biosecurity with Biocheck

 

Biosecurity measures help to prevent the entry and spread of infectious diseases on farms. Good biosecurity can help improve animal health and productivity and prevent costly disease outbreaks on farms. As such, biosecurity is the basis for disease prevention on farms. Still it can be a matter of subjective judgement whether measures taken are sufficient or need extra effort. In the past, this subjective evaluation also made it hard for setting concrete targets and monitoring improvement in biosecurity measures. Luckily, this problem has been solved with the arrival of Biocheck, an objective and risk based scoring system to assess biosecurity on pig, broiler, layer, veal, dairy and beef farms. The systems is based on cutting edge scientific research and developed by the faculty of veterinary medicine of Ghent University.

This biosecurity scoring system takes into account the 5 general principles of biosecurity:

  1.  Separation of infected and susceptible animals by avoiding any direct and indirect contact between them
    This means taking adequate and consistent measures to prevent transferring pathogens from infected animals to healthy susceptible ones
    Think of installing a good quarantine protocol before entering purchased animals to your herd, optimize working lines and changing clothwear and shoeing and other measures to compartmentalize groups of animals on the farm.
  2. Not every transmission route of pathogens is equally important. 
    The biocheck scoring system takes into account a gradation in importance of different pathways animal can become infected with pathogens. For example, measures that prevent direct contact between susceptible and infectious animals are much more important than measures that prevent potential transmission of pathogens through animal feed or breath of persons in the stable.  Questions in the Biocheck, referring to these different transmission pathways have been attributed proper weights for the final score based on scientific research.
  3. Reduction of the general infection pressure
    Sterile production facilities are impossible to achieve, luckily however, animals’ immune system can cope with some degree of infection pressure. Biosecurity measures therefore should target to achieve a general reduced burden on the animals natural defence systems to let them thrive. Measures to think of are: thorough cleaning and disinfection of facilities and adequate down time of stables or vaccination.
  4. Size matters
    With increasing farm size, risks for disease entering the farm increase as well as the detrimental effects of a disease outbreak. It does not mean that small farms should not pay attention to biosecurity, but the negative impact on large farms will just be bigger.
  5. Frequency matters
    Related to the previous principle, an event with a rather small chance of transmitting disease into your farm or between the animals on the farm can cumulate into a considerable risk if the event gets repeated often enough. For example the chance that a single external visitor or a sigle feed delivery truck is the transmitter of disease might be small but if your farm receives external visitors or feed on a weekly basis this chance can cumulate into a considerable risk for disease entering your farm. Therefore, Biocheck will assess measures to prevent for examples visitors or feed trucks to infect your animals and will take into account the frequency of these events.

Advantages of Biocheck

 

  1. Biocheck assesses the farm’s biosecurity in general and not only for one specific disease.
  2. Your farm gets an overall score for its biosecurity level as well as more detailed score for both external and internal biosecurity. Moreover more detailed scores for the aspects that make up the score for internal and external biosecurity are presented as well. Within a blink of an eye you can identify the aspects of the farm that can be improved for better biosecurity.
  3. The basic version: scoring list and links to additional info on biosecurity is free of charge.
  4. It is ideal for benchmarking. The Biocheck score sheet provides a comparison for your farm with those of colleague farmers in your country and worldwide. Moreover, under the expert license (not for free) you have additional options to design your own benchmark, visualize progress over time and access e-learnings to improve biosecurity further.
  5. It is available for  all pig farms: farrowing, farrow-to-finish or finishing pig farms, poultry farms: broilers and layers, dairy and beef and veal farms.

How to use Biocheck

The use of biocheck was explained by prof. Jeroen Dewulf in the webinar: Principles of Biosecurity and use of Biocheck
From minutes 10:55 onwards the use of Biocheck is being explained.

To use the free version of Biocheck go to: www.biocheck.ugent.be 

In the right top corner you can set the language to English, Dutch, French, Spanish or Chinese.

It is advisory to register your profile by clicking on the My Biocheck button. This way you will be able to save all your reports and look them up later.

Detailed instructions for the website can be found with button instructions in the right lower corner.

To start the assessment click on “Start the Biocheck.ugent”

Pick your the survey for the type of farm you want to evaluate.

It is advisory to print a printable version of the survey and take it with you along a tour over the farm.
The routines you will follow to enter the farm, (registration, change of clothes and shoeing, showering, walking lines, etc. will already provide you with answers to several questions in the survey.

After the farm tour you can take the paper survey to your office and complete the survey online to obtain the scoring sheet.


minutes 10:55 in webinar

Go to www.biocheck.ugent.be

 

Vaccination for the control and eradication of disease

Check out this video about vaccination protocols for the control and eradication of disease.

38- A WUR SNP is associated with European Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus Syndrome (Research paper – Abellaa – 2016)

 

 

38 Research paper – Abellaa – 2016 – A WUR SNP is associated with European Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus Syndrome

38 Research paper
A WUR SNP is associated with European Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus Syndrome resistance and growth performance in pigs
by Abellaa, G, Penaa, R.N., Nogaredaa, C., Armengola, R, Vidalc, A., Moradellc, L., Tarancond, V., Novelld, E., Estanya, J., and L. Frailea
2016 Research in Veterinary Science 104: 117-122
In Significant Impact Groups: Breeding for disease resistance or robustness \
Species targeted: Pigs;
Age: Young; Adult;
Summary:
A Spanish study investigated the variation in Average Daily Gain (ADG) between pigs vaccinated with a local Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) strain and pigs infected with a wild-type virus. Pigs from negative PRRSV farms were infected with a wild-type virus or vaccinated with a local PRRSV strain. The amount of virus shed from the pigs, ADG and their genotype (i.e. ‘WUR’ at a specific protein gene) was assessed. Results showed individual variation in the amount of virus from pigs challenged with a wild-type or a vaccine strain. The presence of the gene trait, WUR, was linked to positive ADG in vaccinated pigs. However, the reverse happened in a virus-free environment where pigs without this gene trait were those that grew fastest. There’s scope for selecting pigs according to their responses to PRRS virus infection – the WUR gene trait may play a role in PRRSV resistance.
38 Research paper – Abellaa – 2016 – A WUR SNP is associated with European Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Virus Syndrome
Where to find the original material: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0034528815301156; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rvsc.2015.12.014
Country: ES

522 ‘New Frontiers in Animal Care’ by Health for Animals (Industry Innovation)

 

 

522 Industry Innovation – NEW FRONTIER

522 Industry Innovation
New Animal Care by Health For Animals
In Significant Impact Groups: Other \
Species targeted: Pigs; Poultry; Dairy; Beef; Sheep;
Age: Young; Adult;
Summary:
Scientific advances and emerging technologies, from artificial intelligence to stem cell therapy and new generations of vaccines, have provided greater opportunities to predict, prevent, diagnose and treat animal illness more quickly, accurately and safely. Veterinary researchers and developers continue to break new ground in reducing disease spread and its impact.
The report ‘New Frontiers in Animal Care’ by Health for Animals outlines these innovations across several areas:
New Vaccines ; Alternatives to Antibiotics ; Digital Technologies ; Diagnostics ; Parasite Control ; Nutrition ; Safe Development
Download ‘New Frontiers in Animal Care’ to understand these innovations, their benefits to society and potential barriers to market.
522 Industry Innovation – NEW FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL CARE The Innovations Shaping the Future by Health For Animals
https://healthforanimals.org/downloads/library/new%20frontiers%20in%20animal%20care%20final.pdf;

Country: not applicable

501 No zinc and no antibiotics in pig management by Petr McKenzie (Industry Innovation)

 

 

501 Industry Innovation – No zinc and no antibiotics in pig management by Petr McKenzie

501 Industry Innovation
No zinc and no antibiotics in pig management by Petr McKenzie
In Significant Impact Groups: Feed / gut health \ Feed additives and supplements
Species targeted: Pigs;
Age: Young;
Summary:
In this paper McKenzie shares his journey with the impact of E.coli on pig management – eventually without antibiotic and zinc oxide use. After years of veterinary practice, he came to the following regime that results in more good live pigs and heavier pigs at 4 weeks post weaning with minimal or zero injectable antibiotic and no need for zinc oxide: – Attention to detail- All-in-all-out and hygiene- Quality weaner diet consisting ofo Less than 18.5% protein;o European programme of coated butyric, formic and citric acid and Baccilus PB6 o Korean programme of Algal immune stimulant. The programme is usually cheaper than Zinc plus some antibiotics. Some farmers have been on the programme for over a year with success. Remove ZnO gently – if management is not as good as expected, and you have a very pathogenic E. coli, then E.coli may triumph over lack of ZnO.
501 Industry Innovation – No zinc and no antibiotics in pig management by Petr McKenzie
;Where to find the original material: NA
Country: AU (Australia)

500 Prudent and efficient use of antimicrobials in pigs and poultry a practical manual by FAO (Tools & Checklists)

 

 

500 Tools & Checklists – Prudent and efficient use of antimicrobials in pigs and poultry a practical manual by FAO

500 Tools & Checklists
Prudent and efficient use of antimicrobials in pigs and poultry: a practical manual by FAO
In Significant Impact Groups: Prudent use AB
Species targeted: Pigs; Poultry;
Age:
Summary:
This manual is intended to assist in using antibiotics in a prudent and medically efficient way without loss in productivity. The prudent and medically effective use of antibiotics comprises several elements: a) Phasing out use of antibiotics as growth promoters and avoiding regular preventive use of antibiotics; b) Avoiding use of the Highest Priority Critically Important Antimicrobials (CIAs) for human medicine in animals and adhering to the OIE List of Antimicrobials of Veterinary Importance; c) Only using antibiotics based on a diagnosis of disease by a veterinarian or other animal health professional and only for authorized indications; d) Striving for individual treatment of animals with the correct dose and duration and avoiding using antibiotics for group treatments except for poultry flocks, especially via feed. e) Using only quality-assured pharmaceuticals and always consulting an animal health professional before use; f) Disposing of unused and expired antibiotics in a proper way.
Where to find the original material: http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca6729en;
Country: Italy;

494 – What are the needs for education and professional training of livestock farmers and their advisors for an integrated management of health (Research paper – Manoli – 2020)

494 Research paper – Manoli – 2020 – What are the needs for education and professional training of livestock farmers and their advisors for an integrated management of health

494 Research paper
What are the needs for education and professional training of livestock farmers and their advisors for an integrated management of health? by Manoli, C., Martin, G., Defois, J., Morin, A. and P. Roussel 2020 Rencontres Recherches Ruminants 2020: Session Santé
In Significant Impact Groups: Other \ Biosecurity
Species targeted: Dairy; Pigs;
Age: Not stated;
Summary:
Agro-ecological transition of livestock farming systems requires strong changes in animal health management, toward more preventive approaches of livestock practices, e.g. feeding management, and less use of medical inputs for animal. These systemic changes concern farm managers but also their advisors and teachers. In this study, surveys have been made to study the particular needs of farmers and their advisors for education, both professional and academic. These surveys were realised with advisors and farmers of different educational backgrounds, from pork and dairy sector. Results of these surveys show a very small contribution of initial and academic education for useful knowledge on health management , expressed by farmers and advisors ; they also show strong needs addressed toward professional training, that should combine peer exchanges of practises, practical exercises and specialized knowledge coming from animal health experts.

Where to find the original material: http://www.journees3r.fr/IMG/pdf/recueil_202011_sante.pdf (p.515 ff).
Country: FR