Biosecurity 101

One of the best ways to protect your animals, whether pets, livestock or poultry, from getting sick is to practice good biosecurity.

Biosecurity is the practice of controlling infectious disease, and it refers to everything done to keep diseases and the germs that cause them (viruses, bacteria, funguses, parasites and other organisms) away from your animals, property, and the people that may interact with them.

This is very important whether your animals are on your farm, moving from one production site to another, going to auction, or participating in a show or event. There are many levels of biosecurity starting from something as small as washing your hands to as large as shower- in shower-out facilities at large commercial production facilities.

Biosecurity not only protects you and your animals, it also protects your neighbors, employees, and in the case of livestock and poultry, your consumers. This makes it the responsibility of all animal owners to keep their animals safe and disease-free.

To protect your animals from diseases or harmful agents, the Colorado Department of Agriculture (CDA) recommends writing and carrying-out your own specific biosecurity plan. Each individual farm, ranch, or facility will have a different biosecurity plan depending on their individual needs; however it is never too early to start implementing basic measures.

Photo by Caren Leyva

Poultry biosecurity

Increase your biosecurity

Keep visitors to a minimum. Only allow those people who take care of your poultry to come in contact with your birds, this includes family and friends. Keep track of everyone who is on your property at all times. Make sure everyone who has contact with your flock follows biosecurity principles.

Wash your hands before and after coming in contact with live poultry. In addition to potentially spreading disease from farm to farm or bird to bird, you can also spread germs such as Salmonella that can impact human health.

Change clothes before entering poultry areas and before exiting the property. Visitors should wear protective outer garments or disposable coveralls, boots, and headgear when handling birds, and shower and/or change clothes when leaving the facility.

Change shoes or provide disposable boot covers and/or disinfectant footbaths for anyone having contact with your flock. Use a long-handled scrub brush BEFORE stepping into the disinfectant footbath, and always keep it clean.

Clean and disinfect tools or equipment before moving them to a new poultry facility. Before allowing vehicles, tools and equipment—including egg flats, gloves, buckets, etc. that have come in contact with birds or their droppings—to exit the property, make sure they are cleaned and disinfected to prevent contaminated equipment from transporting disease. Do not move or reuse items that cannot be cleaned and disinfected—such as cardboard egg flats.

Look for signs of illness. Know the warning signs of infectious bird diseases and the symptoms of HPAI.

Report sick birds. Don’t wait. If your birds are sick or dying, call a local veterinarian, cooperative extension service, or state veterinarian. You can use an online form to report sick or dead domestic birds.

Biosecurity resources

Free PPE for Poultry and Dairy Workers

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is providing free Personal Protective Equipment to any dairy farm in Colorado. Order up to four weeks of free PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) for your farmworkers below.

H5N1 PPE Request

Information for fairs and shows

Commingling of lactating dairy cattle or live poultry may present a risk for disease introduction and transmission of HPAI. The decision to postpone or cancel shows, sales, or events is up to the event organizers, except in the event of quarantine, health order, or movement restrictions.

If events do take place, the State Veterinarian’s Office recommends that livestock owners and event organizers implement precautionary measures to minimize the transmission of HPAI.

Event biosecurity resources:

Biosecurity Guidelines

Expertise

Have a good Veterinarian-Client-Patient Relationship

No matter what animals you have, it is important to have a relationship with a veterinarian. Veterinarians have the subject matter expertise and they care about your animals. Veterinarians can help you start a biosecurity plan, just ask them!

Regular Care

Implement regular preventative veterinary care, such as vaccines, anti-parasitics, etc

Speak to your veterinarian about what you can do to protect your animals. Discuss with your veterinarian about what risks are in your area or could come to your area, and how they can be prevented or minimized.

Stop Wildlife

Reduce exposure to wildlife and feral animals

Rodents, wild birds, raccoons, stray cats and dogs, and other wild animals can transmit diseases to your animals. The facility or housing where you keep your animals should stop wildlife from coming into direct contact with your animals.

Safe Feed

Feed properly prepared foods

Feed not correctly prepared can make animals sick. Animal owners are responsible for ensuring their animals are eating safe and nutritious foods, using FDA-approved feeds or ensuring any food by-products or food ingredients arriving at their facility are from a reputable source. Store feed in a way that keeps wildlife (e.g., rodents) out of it.

Vector Control

Reduce exposure to insects

Insects (flies, ticks, mosquitoes, etc.) can give your animals diseases. The facility or housing where you keep your animals should stop these pests from your animals. When this is not possible, speak with your veterinarian about what you can do to protect your animals from these pests.

Due to fluctuating temperatures year-round, you may need vector control year round in Colorado.

Limit Visitors

Control and monitor people’s access to your facility

People can unknowingly carry diseases on their bodies or clothing. Do not allow anyone that was recently in a country where Foreign Animal Diseases are present to have contact with your livestock or poultry for at least five days after they return to the United States. Do not allow anyone to wear any clothing (including footwear) around your livestock or poultry they wore outside the United States.

Educate

Ensure everyone at your facility understands biosecurity

Anyone regularly interacting with your animals, including family members, should have proper training on how to “cleanly” enter animal housing areas. For some facilities (such as swine or poultry facilities) this may mean completely showering-in and showering-out. For other livestock facilities this may mean changing outerwear, foot baths, and/or using disposable boot covers (aka booties).

Stop Horizontal Transmission

Control movement onto and off your facility with “clean” and “dirty” lines

The normal “ins” and “outs” for your facility can bring diseases to your animals. This can include “dirty” trucks accidentally carrying germs to your facility as they come and go during part of the normal business day (e.g., delivering feed, removing dead animals, bringing replacement animals, etc.). Reduce this risk by clearly establishing “clean” and “dirty” areas where these vehicles are and are not allowed. Livestock and poultry facilities can further reduce this risk by having vehicles go through cleaning stations before coming on and/or exiting the premises.

Proper Disposal

Properly remove dead animals and animal waste

Dead animals and animal waste should be removed from areas housing live animals as quickly as possible. Remove them using a separate entrance/exit from the one used to bring live animals into the facility.

Dispose of dead animals where wildlife cannot feed on them.

Cleaning and Disinfection

Maintain a clean environment

When cleaning areas that house your animals remember the saying, “you can’t disinfect dirt.” This means you must clean before disinfecting. Most disinfectants do not work in the presence of organic materials like dirt, dust, and animal wastes. Different disinfectants require different minimum contact times to work and longer times in cold temperatures. Follow the instructions on the label for the disinfectant you are using. Work with your veterinarian to develop the most effective cleaning and disinfection (sometimes called decontamination by first responders) protocol for you.