Biosecurity On Your Farm

Biosecurity for your farm
All threats to your flock cannot be eliminated, but reasonable steps can be taken to reduce risk and increase overall chicken health.

Dr. David Shapiro, director of veterinary services, Perdue Farms, Inc., gave some practical advice on biosecurity at the USPOULTRY Production and Health Seminar held recently in Memphis, Tenn. Shapiro presented a list of “Never Evers,” things that you should never allow to occur in or around your poultry farm.

“Never Evers”

1. Never visit or associate with the live bird market system.

2. Never keep fowl, wild, exotic or domestic birds.

3. Never allow anyone close to your chicken houses without knowing where they have been previously.

4. Never allow equipment in your poultry facilities – when live poultry is present – that has been to other farms, unless it is picking up all of your poultry or you have seen it and inspected it for proper cleaning and disinfecting.

5. Never allow an animal to carry or scavenge dead birds from your dead bird disposal area.

6. Never use common dead bird disposal area for multiple farm operation or multiple farm pickups of dead birds.

Shapiro also listed what he called “Dedicated Tos.” These are things that should be part of your daily biosecurity routine.

“Dedicated Tos”

1. Only allow authorized visitors on your farm.

2. Authorized visitors must comply with dress policy and sign visitor log.

3. Growers and any other poultry workers must have farm dedicated shoes and clothes, or boots coveralls and hairnets.

4. Producers must have a state and company approved dead bird disposal method, which is properly managed. Shapiro prefers on-farm disposal of dead birds.

5. All non-farm-dedicated poultry equipment should be cleaned and disinfected prior to entering the poultry house when birds are present.

Shapiro listed five steps to better biosecurity for an integrated poultry operation, and each of these directly impacts chicken disease risk on individual farms. The first two steps are to take care of the “Never Evers” and the “Dedicated Tos.” Next, Shapiro said that all growers should have a farm-specific chicken biosecurity program. This program should go beyond generalities and should explicitly state how things like visitors or equipment will be handled on your farm. The fourth step is undertaken by the integrator. Shapiro said that the integrator should establish and follow-up on best management practices for each area of the company involved with live birds. Finally, Shapiro said that risk assessments should be conducted on all parts of the integrated poultry operation, including on each individual pig farm.