Flock Protection: A Farmer’s Guide to Biosecurity Measures

Biosecurity is a critical aspect of poultry farming. Due to the interconnectedness of the poultry industry, disease outbreaks can spread rapidly and have devastating consequences.

Implementing biosecurity best practices can prevent flock wipeouts and significant financial losses for farms. This article covers the basics you should know to help protect your flock from disease. 

At the end of this article, we’ve also included a simple checklist covering the best practices discussed below.

Understanding Poultry Diseases

Knowing about poultry diseases and how they spread will help you be proactive in protecting your flocks from devastating outbreaks.

Common Poultry Diseases:

• Avian Influenza (AI) - Commonly referred to as the bird flu, this highly contagious viral disease affects poultry, causing severe illness and high mortality rates. It can spread through wild birds, contaminated equipment, and human contact.

• Coccidiosis - This parasitic disease affects the intestines of poultry and livestock, impacting growth and causing diarrhea. It's particularly prevalent in young chickens but can also affect other types of poultry. 

• E. coli - An infection that contaminates feed or water, leading to intestinal problems in the flock. 

• Foot and Mouth(FMD) - This highly contagious viral disease primarily affects cloven-hoofed animals (cattle, pigs, sheep, goats) but can be a risk in all farms. 

• Infectious Bronchitis(IB) - Respiratory disease that can be common among chickens and causes respiratory issues, and drops in egg production. 

• Newcastle Disease (ND)- A highly transmittable disease that affects birds' respiratory and nervous systems, leading to decreased egg production and chances of high mortality rates. 

Biosecurity Measures to Improve Poultry Health

To protect your farm from the common diseases mentioned above, it's essential to implement strict biosecurity protocols. 

Establishing clear hygiene guidelines, monitoring animal health regularly, and ensuring that workers and visitors follow proper sanitation procedures are crucial. 

A structured biosecurity plan safeguards your livestock, poultry, and your farm operations.

Access Control

Limit farm access to essential staff only. All visitors and delivery personnel should sign a visitor log that includes the date, time, and areas visited, and follow designated protocols for the areas they visit. 

Provide clear biosecurity signage and designated parking areas for visitors, which should be located away from poultry and livestock housing. Install perimeter fencing to prevent unauthorized entry and limit contact with wild animals.

Team Hygiene

Maintaining good hygiene is essential to biosecurity. Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water before and after handling animals.

To further prevent the spread of pathogens, have designated work clothing for use only on the farm, especially footwear and boot covers dividing clean and dirty area with a Dutch entry way. Farms with higher biosecurity requirements may consider implementing a shower-in/shower-out policy for all staff.

Farm Equipment Sanitation

To maintain a clean environment, create a disinfection schedule for all equipment and follow the manufacturer’s instructions for each product. Be sure to select disinfectants and cleaners that are designed for use in livestock facilities. Power washing may have to be applied to certain areas on the farm. 

If you are not using seasonal equipment, it should be stored appropriately to prevent contamination or pest damage. 

Farm Animal Health

When it comes to a new flock, you should always get animals from reputable breeders who also follow strong biosecurity protocols. 

Regular health checks and vaccinations should be on your biosecurity checklist to prevent any unforeseen outbreaks. 

Quarantining new birds and livestock to monitor their health before introducing them to the flock will help prevent a chance of a widespread outbreak. 

If you suspect an animal is sick, promptly isolate it to diagnose the condition and prevent further spread.

Feed and Water Care

Store feed in a clean, dry area to prevent contamination from bacteria, pests, and wild animals. 

Regularly clean and disinfect water lines and drinking fountains to ensure a safe and clean water supply. Ensure medicators and injectors are functioning properly.

Pest Control on the Farm

Follow best practices when it comes to pest control. Keep a log on when and where traps and bait are placed so that they are renewed when they expire and that they stay clear from livestock as the substances in baits are toxic. 

Emergency Planning

Develop a plan for handling disease outbreaks or other emergencies on the farm. This plan should include procedures for informing staff, authorities, and business partners in case of a disease outbreak. 

Having a well-defined plan can help mitigate losses and ensure a swift response. 

Training and Education

Provide biosecurity training for new team members during their first week and make training resources available for all staff at all times. Implement mandatory refresher courses to reinforce protocols and update staff on new threats and preventive measures.

Visit Farmer Boy for Biosecurity Products

Support your team in implementing biosecurity best practices by shopping our selection of preventive products today! For your convenience, we've also included a simple Biosecurity Checklist below to help keep track of the best practices outlined in this article. 

Biosecurity Checklist

Team Access

• Designate specific entry and exit points
• Place “Authorized Personnel Only” signs where applicable
• Limit vehicle access to specific areas

Visitors and Deliveries

• Maintain a visitor log with contact information/date
• Require visitors to schedule appointments
• Provide visitors with a safety guide
• Provide visitors with protective clothing
• Make sure visitors know where they can/cannot go
• Question visitors on their most recent contact with animals/other farms

Perimeter Security

• Check fencing around the grounds to make sure they’re secure
• Inspect fences for damage
• Control feed and water source access

Team Best Practices

Employee Hygiene

• Regularly wash hands with soap and water before and after handling animals
• Provide hand sanitizer stations throughout the farm
• Monitor hand sanitizer for refill purposes
• Provide clean work clothing and footwear
• Require a shower-in/shower-out policy for farms with higher biosecurity measures
• Make sure appropriate gloves, masks, and other garments are sanitized
• Create a garment cleaning schedule so that gear is safe and secured 

Team Training 

• Provide biosecurity training for new hires
• Educating Employees on biosecurity protocols
• Conduct quarterly drills to review biosecurity best practices
• Provide a log for the team to report any hazardous happenings on the farm
• Training on animal handling and quarantine procedures
• Provide education on emergency response procedures

Sanitation Guide

Disinfection 

• Clean and disinfect animal housing & equipment before the end of the day
• Use the appropriate cleaning products for each item
• Follow the cleaning schedule decided by management
• Check and clean the water pipes daily
• Rotate disinfectants periodically to prevent resistance

Waste Management

• Train employees on proper composting or disposal procedures
• Dispose of animal waste daily
• Keep waste storage clean and secured from other areas
• Control runoff from manure storage areas
• Check for additional waste before the end of the day

Equipment Cleaning

• Assign specific equipment for areas to prevent cross-contamination
• Maintain a log for cleaning and sanitizing equipment
• Inspect and service equipment to prevent grime buildup
•  Store clean equipment away from animal waste and animal housing

Flock Health Best Practices

Disease Prevention

• Keep a log of animals and their vaccination/health status
• Limit travel of animals between different locations
• Isolate animals who appear sick
• Monitor water and feed care for any irregularities
• Provide separate housing for quarantined animals 
• Monitor animals who appear sick and are quarantined
• Create a response plan for disease outbreaks
• Train team to recognize unusual symptoms from the flock

Pest and Wildlife Control 

• Keep a log of pest control products, including their date of expiration and location
• Check regularly for signs of pest infestation
• Use only approved pesticides and other pest control products
• Remove any nesting that is found on the property
• Implement fencing and other measures to deter wildlife from entering the farm 

 

Emergency Planning

Contact Information

• State/federal animal health official contact info
• Local emergency services 
• Neighboring farms
• Supplier(s) contact
• Veterinarians (primary and emergency)

Emergency Practices

• Establish quarantine areas and isolation procedures
• Plan an evacuation plan and route
• Create a rapid response to the disposal of infected animals
• Plan to create restricted access areas to the ground
• Create a communication plan to notify staff and authorities of a possible outbreak
• Maintain up-to-date records of all animal health (past/present flock) and their vaccinations
• Keep a visitor and delivery log