Biosecurity at Cattle Farms: Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

Abstract

Biosecurity is a key component of any animal and public health strategy and disease prevention and control programs. This study reviewed the main findings of different studies implemented from 2015 to 2021 to analyse the biosecurity situation at Belgian cattle farms, including attitudes and behaviours of cattle farmers and rural veterinarians regarding biosecurity measures. Specifically, the objective was to perform a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis of the situation and propose a new conceptual framework improving the level of biosecurity in the cattle sector. Biosecurity in cattle farming remains relatively low and faces multiple challenges. Its future improvement requires the different stakeholders to agree on shared goals and objectives and to carefully consider animal, public and environmental health, as well as socioeconomic and cultural factors. Further cost efficiency studies are required to identify the most important biosecurity measures and convince the stakeholders of their utility and benefits. Cattle farmers rely mainly on rural veterinarians for technical guidance and consider them as trustful informants. To be more effective in promoting these good practices, rural veterinarians need a proper guidance from the authorities, a proper training on biosecurity and communication, as well as an enabling environment.

A qualitative assessment of alternative eradication strategies for African swine fever in the Dominican Republic

“…External attributes were described as factors such as the Dominican government, culture, and society, and the international epidemiological context. SWOT has previously been used to assess health control programs in human and veterinary medicine ( 27 , 28 ). For this analysis, three hypothetical scenarios of control were developed for consideration by experts: (1) total depopulation of all swine in the DR, (2) partial depopulation, and (3) continuation of current control measures.…”

Veterinary Vaccines: Where Are They Now?

“…Superbug outbreaks will undoubtedly continue to haunt the earth in the coming decades. Animal vaccines' continuous improvement has the potential to play a major role in the control of harmful emerging diseases (Renault et al 2021).…”

House Flies (Musca domestica) from Swine and Poultry Farms Carrying Antimicrobial Resistant Enterobacteriaceae and Salmonella

“…It was demonstrated that a good biosecurity plan can decrease antimicrobial use [ 4 , 5 ] and, consequently, the spreading of antimicrobial resistant bacteria [ 6 ]. Biosecurity in animal production systems represents a set of practices to manage the risks of infectious disease introduction and spreading within and between farms [ 7 , 8 ]. These “good practices” include many different actions that farmers could adopt to fight infectious diseases [ 7 ].…”