Biosecurity in Swine

Ten Areas of 1. Location

Biosecurity 2. Perimeter
Concerns 3. Entrance
4. Buildings
5. Shipping
6. New Stock
7. Feed and water
8. Dead stock
9. Manure removal
10. Disinfection/Vaccination
Biosecurity of  is the set of practical measures taken to prevent entrance of infection
pigs at the farm into a pig farm and control the spread of infection within that farm.
level  goal of a biosecurity program is to keep out pathogens that the herd
has not been exposed to and to minimize the impact of endemic
pathogens
 All farm biosecurity and security risk factors are unique to that farm -
each biosecurity plan should be farm specific.
 best plans are created by working with a swine veterinarian or
veterinary consultant who has extensive knowledge of the farm,
employees, and local risk factors.
Biosecurity  biosecurity measures differs among farms due to the geographic
location of the farm, proximity to other pig farms, epidemiological
situation (causes, distribution, and control of disease in the herd), type
of swine operation, level of technology used for production, and
whether other people are employed on the farm
 development and implementation of a biosecurity program provides
an essential component of many on-farm food safety programs;
greater consumer acceptability of the quality and safety of the food
supply; healthy animals that are more productive; improved animal
welfare; and improved efficiency and profitability for the pork producer
 supermarket buyers and consumers want pork producers to use less
medication when producing pork.
Components of a
pig farm required
for adequate
biosecurity
Biosecurity is 1. bio-exclusion
made up of three  preventing the introduction of unwanted disease agents into
separate sets of the farm or system
actions and 2. bio-containment
overlapping  preventing the spread of disease agents to neighbors or
components even long distance transfer, but also the very important
process of protecting the food supply for consumers
3. biomanagement
 combined effort to control economically important infectious
diseases that are already present in the farm population.
Room disinfection, vaccines, all-in/all-out pig movement and
many other procedures designed to reduce the pathogen
level or enhance immunity levels in the pigs are key
components of bio-management. Each of these areas can
have significant impact on the economic viability of a
producer or producers in a geographically linked animal
agriculture area.
To develop a 1. the prevalence of diseases that can affect your herd;
useful biosecurity 2. how each disease is transmitted;
plan, it is 3. how each disease can be controlled;
necessary to 4. how to prevent each disease from entering the herd; and
know: 5. the potential cost of an introduction and outbreak.
 It is essential to have a swine veterinarian help develop the written and
detailed biosecurity plan.
 Biosecurity plans are intended to prevent adverse situations and
improve the pork production business. All it takes is one breach of
on-farm biosecurity to ruin a herd’s health status or that of a
neighbor’s. This loss could have long-lasting and devastating
production and financial effects on any farm.
The following  Adding new pigs to the farm without a quarantine period.
situations  Failing to quarantine new additions for 30 to 60 days.
contribute the  Failing to require testing for specific diseases prior to addition.
greatest risks to  Failing to require vaccination for specific diseases prior to addition.
the health of pigs  Allowing pigs to return from fairs, shows, or exhibitions without
in a swine quarantine and testing.
operation.  Allowing other domestic or wild animals to have contact with the pigs,
feedstuffs, or water sources.
 Failing to prevent disease transfer via pig transportation, human
contact, other vehicular traffic, or equipment used with more than one
animal or used at other locations such as a buying station, slaughter
plant, or off-site farm.
 It is common for small- and medium-sized pork operations to house
their animals outdoors.
 Preventing the introduction of disease is difficult when pigs are housed
outdoors or have access to outdoor lots because producers cannot
control pig contact with wildlife, stray animals, rodents, insects,
aerosols ( containing disease agents), contaminated soil, and people.
 Feral and wild pigs are one of the greatest risks to outdoor producers
since they carry most pig disease agents, including pseudorabies and
brucellosis, which have been eradicated from U.S. and Canadian
domestic pigs.
 Securing an outdoor facility is always challenging; however, various
procedures can be used that discourage unwanted visitors and pests.
Prioritization of Biosecurity Factors to Implement
1. Small Farms Farms with a small number of pigs typically do not have employees.
Managers of small pig farms who work with a swine veterinarian and
meticulously implement the following biosecurity principles generally have
high herd health status:
 Bring in only clean breeding stock verified by a swine veterinarian.
 Always take extra care that biosecurity is a priority at the marketing
access point and other trips to town.
 Always make sure to keep boots, hands, pickup cab, and trailer a
clean zone so pathogens are not hauled home.
 Use batch farrowing whereby all the pigs are moved at the same
time and same age during each phase of production (weaning,
nursery, grower, and finisher).
 Make sure all tail-end pigs from the growing-finishing phase are
moved off-site before a batch of sows farrow.
 Use the same breeding stock for four to eight parities.
When Option 1.
repopulating the Replacing entire sow herd:
sow herd:  Make sure the entire sow herd has been depopulated.
 Make sure all pigs from the growing-finishing phase are marketed
or moved off-site before replacement animals arrive on the farm.
 If possible, have the depopulation period occur during the summer
months to take advantage of the dry environment and high
ultraviolet light period to help kill pathogens.All replacements
 should come from a single source, which could be home-raised
gilts or purchased females.
 If pigs are finished indoors, the availability of space might be a
problem during the middle of the high productivity period.
Option 2.
Partial replacement of sow herd:
 A proportion of the sows are replaced on a regular quarterly or
longer period.
 All the replacement animals should come from a single source
(such as original source of the sows being replaced).
 The replacement source has the same health status as the farm.
 This requires monitoring of the source farm and communication,
preferably veterinarian to veterinarian prior to receiving each group
of replacement stock.
 If possible, have the depopulation period occur during the summer
months to take advantage of the dry environment and high
ultraviolet light period to help kill pathogens.
2. Larger Farms Strategies for biosecurity of the pigs and farm should be developed by
using a Hazard Analysis of Critical Control Point approach.
 Knowledge from scientifically applied field trial methodology,
peerreviewed publications, and significant field experience should
be heavily relied upon when establishing the critical control points
(CCP).
 Extensive interviews and inputs from all farm staff should be
included in the early stages of the hazard analysis assessments.
 Without participation of the farm employees, many CCPs will be
overlooked.
3. Location of Theoretically, pig production facilities should be located as far as possible
Farm from other pig facilities. The positioning of buildings within the unit,
position of ventilation inlets and outlets, people movement, isolation
procedures, pig movement, and other factors will affect the success of
 biosecurity plans.
 One of the main factors that increases the risk of a herd acquiring a
new disease is often the proximity of the farm to other live pigs. The
nearby presence of growing pigs is a much greater risk compared
to a breeding herd that sends all weaned pigs to an off-site facility.
4. Sources of Swine disease can be spread in a number of ways, including:
Swine  diseased swine or healthy swine incubating disease, or unaffected
Diseases carriers,
 new replacement gilts and boars,
 purchased semen,
 other farm animals, insects, pets, birds, and wild animals,
 clothing and shoes of visitors and employees moving from farm to
farm,
 employees who did not follow all the biosecurity procedures of the
farm,
 employee or visitor who has had recent direct contact with other
pigs,
 contaminated feed, water, bedding, and soil,
 carcasses of dead animals,
 contaminated equipment and vehicles used on the farm,
 contaminated veterinary equipment,
 any equipment that has been in contact with pigs from another site,
 contaminated commercial vehicles hauling culls, slaughter, or
growing pigs,
 delivering feed (even more so the driver) in airborne particles and
dust blown by the wind, and
 consumable supplies entering the farm
 Unexplained disease transmission over short distances is often
attributed to aerosol infection.
 Aerosol and airborne spread of infections depends on numerous
factors, such as: the type of pathogen, number and density of
animals excreting and susceptible to infection, method of housing,
droplet size, relative humidity, ambient temperature, ventilation
fans, wind speed, wind direction, sunlight, topography, natural
barriers, and methods of manure application.
 Many times disease agents have other routes of transmission that
are more important and more frequent compared to aerosols,like:
aerosols, distance from other pigs is also an effective deterrent
against these methods.
 Distance has a dilution effect on all pathogens by reducing the
likelihood of all means of transmission. The risk of aerosol is also
related to the numbers of pigs on the distant sites. Large numbers
of growing pigs increase the odds of a random introduction. There
have been outbreak investigations that imply aerosol movements
up to 5 miles with PRRS virus and as much as 2 miles for
Mycoplasma. Aerosol transmissions are very difficult to
substantiate but likely occur in special weather-related situations.
5. Purchasing  Essential elements of a biosecurity program are often ignored on small
Replacement pork operations, such as procurement of new breeding animals from a
Gilts and Boars reliable source and isolation of new animals before introduction into
the herd.
 Direct contact with other pigs is always the greatest risk for acquiring
new diseases.
 The following guidelines are suggested when purchasing replacement
 gilts and boars:
o Know the disease status of both recipient and source herds.
o Consider the location and health history of the source herd.
o Select replacement gilts from a single source that has a
documented genetic improvement program and sound disease
control (biosecurity) programs.
o Most breeding companies utilize a veterinarian and maintain an
internal health-recording program.
 Have your veterinarian consult with the source herd’s veterinarian to:
o confirm that the source herd has not had any recent disease
outbreaks,
o determine what diseases have or have not been detected or
tested for in the source herd,
o determine what vaccination programs are used, and
o determine what antimicrobials are being used in the feed or water
 Maintain animal movement records.
 List the contact information of the seller(s), the origin of the pigs, the
number of pigs purchased, date pigs are moved onto your farm, and, if
available, the premise identification.
 In principle, fewer introductions of new gilts and boars into the herd
would seem to reduce the odds of bringing a disease into the herd.
 The risk of disease transmission is minimized when: ( 1) there is open
communication between the producer’s veterinarian and source herd’s
veterinarian, and (2) all new replacement animals are brought into the
herd after spending 30 to 40 days in a biosecure isolation facility that
has an excellent and functioning disease monitoring/detection
program in place.
6. Artificial  Artificial insemination is the easiest method to bring new genes into a
Insemination sow herd. However, biosecurity risks can be associated with artificial
insemination.
 Boar semen can contain a number of potential pathogens, such as
Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus and Porcine
Circovirus.
 Most boar studs routinely test semen from AI boars for the presence of
PRRSV and only bring in negative boars that have never been
exposed to PRRSV.
7. Isolation of  Regardless of whether a pork producer is purchasing replacement
Incoming Pigs animals from the same genetic supplier and health monitoring
program, an isolation facility and program should be in place.
 Because the incubation period for different disease agents is highly
variable and the replacements may not exhibit any signs of sickness
for some time, it is essential these replacements remain in quarantine
until test results and observation give reasonable assurance they are
healthy.
 The quarantine period also allows the source herd to discover any
new disease introduced into that herd.
 In addition, contamination could have occurred during transportation.
 incoming gilts or boars undergo a period of isolation for 30 to 60 days.
 The duration of isolation will depend on the specifications set by your
veterinarian and particular disease(s) of concern.
 Isolation allows pigs to recover from the stress of transport to the farm,
adapt to a new environment, and any incubating infections to become
evident.
 The period of isolation provides an opportunity for inspection of
animals by a veterinarian, a laboratory analysis of blood samples for
diseases, and vaccination of animals before entering the herd.
 Make sure that biosecurity of the isolation facility is at least as good as
the biosecurity of the main herd.
 The isolation unit should be far from other area pigs as possible,
ideally more than 2 miles from the nearest neighboring pig facility.
 The ideal distance of the isolation facility can vary depending on the
management, testing protocols, biosecurity precautions, number of
replacements in each quarantined group, and the disease(s) that are
to be prevented.
 Work with your veterinarian to determine the best location in any
specific situation.
 The isolation facility should prevent direct contact with all other pigs,
domestic livestock, and wildlife. Where appropriate, a security fence
should be erected around the isolation unit.
 The isolation facility should provide an air space, a water source, and
a feed source that are separate from all other pigs and livestock.
 The isolation unit should be operated on an all-in/all-out basis.
 The risks of manure storage and drainage on disease transmission
should be eliminated. Isolation facilities should have their own manure-
handling facilities.
 The isolation facility should provide a clean, dry, comfortable resting
space for all the pigs.
 When appropriate, animals should be provided with clean and dry
bedding.
 Animals should be provided with clean and readily available water.
 During summer months, it may be necessary to move gilts housed
outdoors to an area that will prevent sunburn.
 White-colored gilts can get severely sunburned.
 use a separate person and equipment in the isolation unit
 If one person cannot be dedicated to taking care of the isolation unit,
the unit should be the last work task of the day. This person should
shower, if possible, and put on clean clothes and boots prior to
entering the isolation unit.
 Many successful isolation facilities have no shower, and the farmer
checks the animals on the way to the house.
 A boot exchange, isolation-specific coveralls, and hand washing are
highly effective. Make sure the indoor facility has good lighting and
accessibility of animals for visual inspection.
 The isolation facility should provide adequate restraint facilities for
examinations and administration of treatments.
 The isolation facility should have an equipment and storage area. This
equipment (such as boots, clothing, scrapers, shovels, buckets, etc.) is
only used in the isolation area.
 All animals should be closely observed each day for clinical signs of
any disease, including coughing, excessive sneezing, diarrhea, blood
or mucus in the feces, loss of appetite, skin lesions, or lameness.
Rectal temperatures should be taken in pigs that show any of these
signs. Any abrupt changes in behavior or onset of clinical problems
should be immediately reported to the veterinarian.
 Your veterinarian should visit the isolation area for blood sampling and
inspections of animals. Depending on the diseases that are to be
excluded and the nature of test diagnostics utilized, sampling shortly
 after arrival and again three to four weeks later may be necessary to
assure freedom from disease. Allow enough time for laboratory results
and expect to retest on occasion.
 When possible, an acclimation program to the diseases on your farm
should start in the isolation facility. Make sure the isolation facility is
easy to clean and disinfect between batches of replacement animals.
The cleaned and disinfected facility should remain empty and be
allowed to completely dry before the next entry. This usually takes two
weeks but can be shortened with heated drying.
8. Pig Flow  Pigs should be moved as a group in an all-in/all-out (AIAO) manner
(same time and same age) during each phase of production (weaning,
nursery, grower, and finisher).
 Once a group is established, younger pigs are never added to the
group and, older pigs are never mixed with a younger group.
 The main reasons for using AIAO are: ( 1) to reduce exposure levels
of disease causing pathogens in the pig’s environment, (2) to prevent
transmission of diseases from older pigs to younger pigs, and (3) to
improve feed efficiency and rate of gain by maintaining a high health
status.
 With careful planning, an AIAO system can be used in most pig
production units. When pigs are housed indoors, a thorough cleaning
and disinfection of the pen or barn between each group is required for
best results.
 When possible, the facility should be allowed to completely dry before
the next group enters.
 Care must be taken to properly clean the feeders, walls, ceiling, water
troughs, penning, and flooring. High pressure with hot water and
detergent is recommended.
9. Fencing  Many small- and medium-sized pork operations often house their pigs
outdoors in large dirt lots or pastures. They do not use an outer
perimeter fence for biosecurity.
 A “pig proof” fence that surrounds your outdoor pig facility is
recommended, especially if other pigs are close to your farm.
However, a pig-proof perimeter fence is very expensive to construct.
 There is no way to keep pigs housed outdoors away from all types of
wild animals, birds, and blowing dust.
 In some geographic areas, the use of a 4-strand, high tensile electric
fence is adequate to help increase biosecurity, and the cost is much
less than a chain link or woven wire fence.
 Placing an appropriately designed and functional 4-strand electric
fence 40 to 50 feet away from the pig production unit will enhance the
prevention of stray livestock and feral pigs from obtaining nose-to-
nose contact with the pigs. An electric fence with biosecurity signs will
only keep out people who obey the signs.
Assessing Visitor Risk and Controlling Access
1. Risk Risk assessment is a method of evaluating the likelihood and severity of
Assessment the risk posed by a visitor. By identifying key risk factors, appropriate
preventative procedures and protocols can be determined.
2. Entrance to  Entry to the pig unit can be controlled by well-maintained fences,
Farm locking gates that enter the pig unit, using a communication system
(such as buzzer, alarm, or two-way speaker system) at the locked
entry gate for visitors to indicate their arrival, and signs at the entry
gate or vehicle parking area that provide instructions for entry by
authorized visitors.
  People can be discouraged from entering the pig farm and contacting
pigs by posting “No Trespassing” and “No Visitor” signs on the
perimeter of the property and on entrance roads.

 Only one entrance road to the farm is

best.
 Signs posted on the perimeter should
direct visitors to a central sign-in area
(office), away from fields, animal
pens, and other restricted areas.
 Providing a phone contact number
with clear instructions, including a no-
entry policy, will prevent most
biosecurity breaches by unwanted
visitors.
 Periodically check the signs and
replace or repair them, as necessary.

3. Signage  Signs can help get the importance of the biosecure message across to
both visitors and farm employees. However, poor wording or location
of signs may undermine efforts to improve biosecurity.
 Signs that portray a professional image will convey a commitment to
biosecurity and will be more effective than a piece of paper stapled to
a door or post. Location of signs is also very important.
 Signs should be large and visibly placed where visitors cannot miss
seeing them. Signs mounted off to the side of a door or among a
number of other signs are likely to be missed or ignored.
 Two simple ways to place signs effectively are to hang them from a
barrier chain or mount them on a post placed in the visitor’s path of
travel.
 Chains made of yellow plastic links and posts made of scrap angle
iron and set into a bucket of cement are effective, cheap, and easy to
move out of the way when necessary. Post “Do Not Enter” signs
outside of all buildings. Some producers who keep their pigs outdoors
on pasture lots next to a road install signs that say “Do Not Feed the
Pigs.”
4. Parking Area  Parking areas should be located away from pigs and other livestock,
feed delivery areas, and manure-handling routes. Visitors’ vehicles
should be visibly clean of manure and organic matter.
 Only the farm’s vehicles should be allowed in livestock handling and
housing areas or around feed storage areas. If needed, the farm’s
vehicles should be used to transport visitors, employees, and
agricultural service personnel. Parking should be outside the site
perimeter fence.
5. Unauthorized You will not be able to prevent access to people with bad intentions;
Entry by therefore, it is important to be aware of any signs of unauthorized entry or
Intruders tampering. Security breaches are also biosecurity breaches.
 Evidence of trespassing might include non-explained injection sites
on pigs, food wrappers, cigarette butts, tire tracks, footprints, and
broken equipment.
 Evidence of pigs being stolen or disease-carrying pigs being added
can be detected by taking frequent pig inventories.
 Appearance of unusual signs of disease can possibly indicate that
 trespassing occurred.
 Daily monitoring for disease can help detect an outbreak early.
 Farm entrance gates should be locked at night to serve as a
deterrent and as an indicator of intrusion.
 Video security cameras may be useful if the cost can be justified.
6. Authorized All authorized visitors need to understand the possible risk they present
Visitors when entering a farm with a swine operation and what precautions need to
be taken between farms that are visited.
 The list of authorized visitors might include neighbors and friends;
agribusiness and service representatives; veterinarians and
consultants; regulatory personnel and inspectors; dead stock
collectors; and custom manure haulers and applicators.
 Equipment brought into the swine area to repair buildings and
machinery, to treat or handle animals, and to carry out testing or
other procedures can be potential sources of contamination.
 Ensure all equipment used by visitors has been thoroughly cleaned
and disinfected appropriately before being used on your premises.
The risk of a breakdown in biosecurity is increased with visitors who
regularly go from farm to farm as part of their employment or
routine.
 All visitors wanting to enter the pig area should make an
appointment and should ask the farm operator about the biosecurity
protocol and whether special measures must be taken prior to the
visit.
 Strict visitor policies should be enforced, with only necessary
personnel allowed access to pig areas.
 Visitor entry to the pig area should be by a single entry point.
 Control all visitors’ access to the herd.
 Prior to allowing them to enter the farm, all visitors should be
briefed about the biosecurity procedures and policies.
 Determine if, when, and what types of farms the visitors have been
to prior to visiting your farm.
 Do not allow foods of animal origin to be brought onto the premises.
The visitors must state that they:
- have showered and changed clothes since their last
exposure to pigs,
- have not returned from overseas travel within the last 7 to 10
days,
 - are not experiencing fever or any flu-like symptoms.
 Generally, a visitor’s log is maintained at a location where people are
required to complete the requested information prior to their taking a
shower or entering the pig facility.
 Information to be recorded in a visitor’s log includes:
1. a place the visitor can check that confirms he or she understands
and will abide by all the policies and procedures for biosecurity of
the farm,
2. date of visit,
3. name of visitor,
4. address of visitor,
5. company name,
6. purpose of visit,
7. date of last contact with pigs,
8. time of arrival at farm,
9. time of departure from farm, and
 10. signature
Feed Delivery and  delivery trucks can be a serious risk for transmission of disease to a
Feed Storage pig farm
 Ideally, trucks delivering feed to a pig production unit should be able to
unload the feed without entering the pig site.
 The driver is always the greater risk and must not come in direct or
indirect contact with the pigs.
Clean commercial It is impossible for feed transport vehicles to avoid dirty roads and possible
feed truck contamination. Let the feed company know that before feed is delivered to
the farm, you would like:
1. the interior of the feed truck cab to be cleaned and disinfected,
2. the outside of the feed truck to be washed and disinfected at least
the night before feed is delivered to your farm, and
3. the first load of feed on the truck that day is delivered to your farm.
Commercial feed  Upon arrival at the farm, the truck driver must follow certain biosecurity
truck driver rules, such as:
 If the truck driver must exit and return to the truck several times, the
driver should wear farm boots and then a set of boot covers so when
he/she re-enters the cab, boot covers are placed on the shoes or
boots. This is only appropriate if the interior of the feed truck cab was
cleaned and disinfected before leaving the feed mill and the driver has
not been on another pig farm prior to arriving.
 The truck driver should be able to open and close the feed bin lid from
the ground while outside of the perimeter fence.
 Opening the feed bin lid from the ground also enhances safety of the
truck driver.
 The truck driver must not enter the office at the farm except for an
emergency.
Farm-owned  If a farm-owned vehicle (truck, pickup, and trailer) is used to deliver
vehicle feed to the farm, the vehicle must be thoroughly cleaned, washed, and
disinfected prior to picking up the feed.
 The driver should avoid contact with other people involved with pigs,
wear rubber boots when out of the vehicle, and wear boots and
disposable coveralls when loading feed at the feed mill/distribution
center
 Prior to departing the feed mill/ distribution center, the boots should be
placed in a “dirty box” for cleaning and disinfection between loads.
Water Supply  If water storage tanks are used, they must be clean and have a lid to
prevent rats, mice, and birds from using or falling in the tanks.
 Make sure a regular cleaning schedule of water troughs and tanks is
followed.
 If the water supply is from an on-farm well, test the water regularly for
bacteria and contamination.
 If the water supply comes from surface water (river, stream, lake,
pond, or shallow well), it should be filtered, treated, and routinely
monitored to assure it meets potable municipality standards.
 Be sure the water supply system is secured with locks on wellheads,
pump houses, and outdoor water storage tanks.
 If necessary, flush and disinfect water lines and drinkers.
Vehicles  Vehicles and their drivers that present a risk of transmitting diseases
into a pig production unit include straight trucks, semitractors,
semitrailers, pickups and trailers, cars, ATVs, motorcycles, farm
tractors, livestock carts, farm equipment, etc.
 A biosecurity risk due to vehicles occurs when:
 1. replacement gilts and boars are transported to the farm,
2. market pigs and cull sows are transported off the farm,
3. feed, bedding, equipment, pharmaceutical supplies, semen, etc.,
are delivered to the farm,
4. manure and dead animals are removed from the farm,
5. workers, outside maintenance personnel, veterinarians,
consultants, sales people, visitors, and others arrive at the farm,
and
6. vehicles taken off the farm are returned to the farm.
 The degree of risk depends on how recently the vehicle has been
exposed to other pigs or livestock farms and if the pigs on the farm
have direct or indirect contact with the vehicle.
Equipment and  All equipment and consumable supplies brought into the pig operation
Consumable should arrive clean and undamaged.
Supplies  Many farms bring supplies through a fumigation room or spray them
with disinfectant at the entry point.
 The greatest risk that accompanies consumables is that they may
have been delivered to another farm, returned, and then redistributed
by the supply company.
 Likewise, the delivery driver poses significant risk if other pig farms are
on the delivery route. It is wise to discuss this with the local delivery
carrier.
 Possessing a proper location and facility where items enter the farm
helps ensure biosecurity compliance.
Farm Machinery  Farm machinery and equipment can be a risk for transmitting disease
and Equipment to a pig operation, especially if the machinery and equipment were
used outside of the pig operation.
Bedding Material  Store bedding so it is protected from the weather. Ideally, bedding
storage also should prevent contamination by vermin.
 Straw should come from a source that has not exposed the straw to
livestock. Purchase bedding material from suppliers that have
dedicated trucks and/or trailers that only haul bedding.
Hygiene and  Rubbish should be promptly and correctly removed from the pig unit. If
Sanitation of a garbage pickup service is used, the rubbish containers should be
Buildings placed outside the dean/dirty perimeter as far from the pigs as
feasible.
 Buildings, barns, equipment, clothing, and footwear that pigs come in
contact with should be routinely cleaned and disinfected.
 Disinfection should be accomplished only after thorough cleaning.
Cold temperatures and organic material reduce the effectiveness of all
disinfectants.
 The chemical agents commonly used require several minutes of
contact with disease-producing agents to be effective.
Dead Pig  Pork producers need to seriously consider developing a plan to deal
Postmortem and with postmortem examinations and disposal of dead pigs.
Disposal  If a postmortem will be performed on the farm, an area outside of the
farm perimeter should be established. This procedure allows a
veterinarian who may not have been away from pigs to perform the
postmortem examination.
 The method used for disposal of dead pigs and afterbirth can create a
biosecurity hazard.
 Dead pigs and afterbirth must be disposed of in a manner to prevent
the attraction of wild animals, birds, and insects.
 Excreted body fluids must be cleaned up, and the area cleaned and
 disinfected.
Wild Mammals,  Preventing birds, rodents, pets, and other animals from coming in
Birds, Parasites, contact with the pigs will be impossible when housing the herd
and Pets outdoors.
 However, you can do some things to make the farm less desirable to
these creatures.
 Examples include keeping the unit clean and tidy by controlling the
vegetation/weed growth within and surrounding the pig area;
immediately cleaning up spilled feed; discarding rubbish and debris in
a timely manner; and promptly removing dead animals.
 The insect population can be lessened by spraying and eliminating
areas with standing water.
Manure Disposal  Many important diseases and parasites can be transmitted by manure
and Waste or urine, either directly or indirectly, via contaminated clothing and
Management equipment.
 The pathogens responsible can be classified into four major types:
bacterial (e.g., salmonella, {ileitis, dysentery}, E.coli); viral (e .g.,
PRRS, TGE, hog cholera, foot and mouth disease); protozoa (e.g.,
coccidiosis); and parasitic (e.g., round worms).
 Fungal diseases, such as aspergillosis, are less likely to be shed in
manure, but may be present in contaminated bedding and litter. Use of
sawdust/ shavings can be a threat from bacteria.
 To reduce the risk of spreading disease via manure or urine, prevent
contamination of feed and water.
Herd Health  Immediately report any unusual signs of illness to your veterinarian.
Management  As recommended by your veterinarian, vaccinate pigs against certain
diseases.
 The health of all pigs should be monitored daily. All sick animals
should be treated immediately.
 It is inevitable that in every swine production system, animals will
become ill or injured and euthanasia will be necessary.
 Euthanasia is defined as a humane death without pain or distress.
Because it is usually impossible or impracticable for the veterinarian to
be available for all on-farm euthanasia, producers often need to
perform humane euthanasia. Euthanasia should be performed when:
o The animal has an inadequate or minimal prospect for
improvement after two days of intensive care and treatment.
o The animal is severely injured, non-ambulatory, and unable to
recover.
o Any animal that is immobilized with a body condition score of one
on a scale of 1 to 5 (Karriker et al., 2006).