livestock ‘n’ animal health Bio-Security


Bio-security is a word that has often been associated with disinfectant-soaked straw and endless wellie and tyre washing. But essentially it is a simple management system to reduce the risk of infectious diseases being introduced into a herd and spreading through that herd, thereby saving time and money. Bio-security systems do not have to be complex and in fact are much more proficient if they are not. What is important is that they are understood by all and easily implemented.


The cost of disease


unit means less time is spent treating the diseases and drug and vets costs are reduced, and herd productivity is not compromised.


Some examples of disease costs: Ÿ


Ÿ Ÿ


Contagious mastitis costs the dairy industry £100million a year and a sub-clinical infection approximately £30 per cow per year


Digital dermatitis costs approximately £45 per cow per head.


Some previous outbreaks of BVD have cost over £50,000 and herd averages are around £63 per cow per year.


Health planning


Gone are the days when the herd health plan was a document pulled out only at times of inspection. Health plans are the documents behind health planning, which is a vitally important, dynamic process as the challenge to modern dairying becomes greater due to bigger farms, bigger stresses and more productive cows.


To be simple a health plan should have


objectives which are SMART: Ÿ


Specific – use numbers or


observations from the farm, e.g. reduce clinical cases of mastitis and the bulk cell count


Ÿ


Measurable – check for improvements or deteriorations, e.g. 50 cases per 100 cows or a BMSCC of 250,000/ml.


Ÿ Ÿ


Achievable – be gradual, e.g. reduce mastitis.


Relevant – use objectives that will give you benefit, e.g. get out of the penalty band, and reduce the number


CARLISLE HOUSE, TOWNHEAD ROAD, DALSTON, CARLISLE, CUMBRIA, CA5 7JF TEL (01228) 710208 FAX (01228) 711960 E-MAIL vets@paragonvet.com WEB www.paragonvet.com


“Prevention is always better than cure” – Ÿ because reducing the diseases entering a


of milking cow tubes used. Ÿ Time based – set realistic targets, e.g. over the next 12 months.


Practical Bio-security A basic quarantine, testing and


treatment/vaccination regime need not be expensive. The key areas to address are:


Bruce Richards BVSc DBR MRCVS


With a primary interest in fertility, particularly bulls and optimizing dairy herd productivity, Bruce is one of six dedicated large animal vets at Paragon.


Knowledge and records – Know the health status of the purchased animals; know the disease and how to prevent it. Keep records of visitors and feed supplies.


Ÿ


Quarantine and treatment – Have a facility and timescale in place


depending on the risks - 3 weeks is normally recommended, but this may not be long enough, e.g. BVD carriers may not show any signs but shed millions of virus particles.


Ÿ Ÿ


Ÿ


Vaccination – may be used to prevent the effects of introducing some diseases, but not all.


Boundaries – Design them to be stock-proof and also to prevent nose- to-nose contact - 3m is the accepted


standard although this will not stop the spread of respiratory viruses or BVD.


Ÿ Ÿ


Culling or treatment- of infected animals to reduce the burden on farms, e.g. S.uberis mastitis carriers or persistently infected BVD calves.


Other risk factors – Co-grazing with sheep can increase the risk of BVD, Johne's and leptospirosis. Control wildlife populations, e.g. Johne's, TB,


and Neospora. Feeding of pooled colostrum may prevent scour but will increase the risk of Johne's.


A 'gold standard' bio-security protocol will also include the examination and testing of all purchased animals. Several diseases can be easily detected by examination and sampling of blood and milk to find carrier animals and their risk to the herd can then be determined.


Unfortunately this is rarely done due to the perceived costs, however in bio- security terms, it is a money-saving practice.


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Farming Page 17


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