Biosecurity Basics

How can you bring biosecurity to your beef operation?

Russ Daly, South Dakota State University Extension veterinarian, says, foremost, a vaccination program alone will not protect a herd from all the diseases that may be encountered.
 
That is why biosecurity – which is a set of management practices designed to prevent infectious diseases from being carried into a herd – becomes important. He offers these suggestions:
 
1. Start By Doing Your Homework. Because most infectious diseases come on to the farm or ranch by new arrivals to the herd, Daly recommends that producers research the source of the animals they intend to purchase. Find out what herd-health and vaccination programs are being used in the herd of origin, and what, if any, herd disease testing protocols are in place.
 
2. Plan To Isolate New Animals. Once you’ve purchased any new animals and brought them to your farm or ranch, Daly strongly advises that they be isolated and kept away from the herd for at least 30 days. He says 60 days is even better. For isolation to be effective, it requires physical separation (no nose-tonose contact) from existing herd mates. This means no fenceline contact or shared waterers. This includes bulls, replacement females, bred heifers, or mature cows – any new animal being brought onto the property. Even if you bring in foster calves, you should isolate the pair for that 30-day window. Show cattle that are taken to different events should also be kept separate at minimum 30 days before being commingled with the herd.
 
Daly says the purpose for isolation allows new animals an opportunity to recover from any transient illnesses (such as IBR, BRSV, pinkeye) that they may be incubating on arrival. And, it prevents them from shedding the infectious agents to animals in the existing herd.
 
3. Test and Vaccinate New Arrivals. During the isolation period, new animals should also be tested for certain diseases of concern. Depending on the producer’s goals, they may include testing for animals persistently infected (PI) with BVD, carrying Johne’s disease or bulls with trich. Revaccination of the new animals should also be done during the isolation period to match the resident herd. Keep in mind, though, that revaccination should occur after any disease testing you want to undertake; otherwise the animals may give a
false positive for the diseases they were vaccinated against.
 
4. Monitor Environmental Factors. Elements often overlooked in disease control are the environmental factors that can aid disease transmission. Daly says cleaning and disinfecting equipment, eliminating standing water, and controlling rodents and canines can all be helpful in minimizing transmission of diseases such as Lepto, Salmonella, Neospora,and BVD.
 
He concludes by saying there is no “one-size-fits-all” biosecurity program. It really comes down to working with your veterinarian to identify a protocol that fits your operation.