Biosecurity for Pig Farms

1. Draw A Strict Line Of Separation

The first step to creating a biosecurity plan to prepare for and prevent an animal disease  is to designate a line of separation on your farm and maintain it. A line of separation divides the inside, clean area of your pig barn from the outside, contaminated area. The inside is clean; the outside is dirty.

Be strict that crossing the line requires some level of hygiene. Provide visual reminders of the line by painting door frames and concrete or designating areas with colored duct tape. In fact, you may need to set up several lines within a site, because biosecurity is not just about exposure from the outside, but also the lateral spread of disease.

2. Establish Clothing and Showering Requirements

On sow farms, showering in and out is a fixture, but it is less common on growing-pig sites. A shower is not always necessary, but at a minimum everyone should be required to change into dedicated farm clothes and shoes before entering a pig barn. Handwashing is also important, as well as honoring all clean/dirty lines. Keep in mind that the effectiveness of showering is based on proper usage, how clean it is, how it’s supplied, and its location and flow from clean to dirty sides (including towels – clean side only).

3. Keep Up With Maintenance

Good equipment maintenance goes hand in hand with a solid biosecurity plan. Ensure that feed is not spilling out and building up under bins, as it’s an invitation for birds, rodents and other wildlife. The cost of regular repairs also helps avoid wasting feed.

4. Share Farm Rules With Incoming Crews

While onsite workers should be trained the biosecurity rules, occasional visitors, such as vaccination and loadout crews or repairmen and technicians, pose higher risks. It’s a good idea to call ahead of time to explain the biosecurity rules, including how to enter the farm, what clothing/showering requirements are in place, and how to recognize the clean/dirty lines. Stay focused on biosecurity measures even for visitors who may not have much exposure to pigs, and don’t be tempted to bend the rules.

5. Prioritize Loadouts

Prioritize clean trailers for the first cut of market hogs because there are not enough truck washes, time, or personnel to wash, disinfect and dry every truck/trailer every time. You have another four to five weeks to empty the barn, so you don’t want to expose the remaining pigs to a disease that could cause some serious consequences. Staged loading is another idea gaining traction.

6. Avoid Mistakes Bringing In Supplies

The pass-through windows, UV chambers and disinfectant rooms for incoming supplies are common areas for mistakes. All surfaces need to be exposed for disinfection, and everything coming into a barn should be addressed.

7. Follow Biosecurity Plan When Removing Culls and Mortalities

Both are high-risk events, and it’s important to respect the clean/dirty line. For culls, apply the staged loading concept. If rendering is required, an off-site pick-up location is important, but recognize that it’s contaminated and your vehicle will be too. After all, the rendering truck has known exposure to sick pigs. Sometimes changing behavior means a design change, so prioritize biosecurity when designing new production sites/buildings or when remodeling.