Implementing biosecurity measures on dairy farms in Ireland

Abstract

34Irish dairy farmers are expanding in preparation for a new era of unrestricted milk 35 production with the elimination of EU milk quotas in 2015. Countries experiencing a changing 36 agricultural demographic, including farm expansion, can benefit from documenting the 37 implementation of on-farm biosecurity. The objectives of this study were to document and 38 describe influences on biosecurity practices and related opinions on commercial Irish dairy farms. 39A telesurvey was carried out, a response rate of 64% was achieved, and participants were 40 shown to represent the national population. A 20% discrepancy was recorded between self-41 declared closed herds and those actually closed based on official records, indicating a lack of 42 understanding of the closed herd concept. Over 72% of farmers surveyed considered biosecurity 43 important, but 53% stated that a lack of information might prevent them from improving 44 biosecurity. Logistic regression highlighted regional, age, and farm-size related differences in 45 biosecurity practices and opinions. Regional differences existed with regard to implementation 46 of certain biosecurity practices with the most dairy cattle dense region three times more likely 47 than the least dense region to always quarantine purchased stock (P=0.012) . Younger farmers, 48 in general, were over twice as likely than middle-aged farmers to have intent to implement 49 biosecurity guidelines (P=0.026). Large Irish dairy farmers were almost five times more likely to 50 join a voluntary health scheme (P=0.003), and were over three times more likely to pay a 51 premium price for such cattle (P=0.02) than the smallest farmers. The baseline data recorded in 52 this study can form the basis for more detailed sociological and demographic research which can 53 further characterise biosecurity training opportunities within this farming community. 54 55

Control of infectious diseases in dairy cattle

“…Part of this variation is due to prior information or the lack thereof. Although most farmers considered biosecurity to be important, 53% stated that a lack of information might prevent them from improving their biosecurity (Sayers et al, 2013). This lack of information and knowledge, particularly on how to adapt a particular suggestion or piece of advice is a gap that the local veterinarian can capitalize on with their particular knowledge of the farm and their infectious disease knowledge.…”

A survey on biosecurity and management practices in selected Belgian cattle farms

“…Although the importance and usefulness of biosecurity is elaborately described, studies demonstrated that most cattle farmers do not implement adequate biosecurity measures (Nöremark et al, 2010;Negron et al, 2011;Brennan and Christley, 2012;Sayers et al, 2013). In Belgium, an important cattle and milk producing country in Europe and a very densely populated livestock area, the application of biosecurity measures in pig and poultry herds has already been studied (Ribbens et al, 2008;Van Steenwinkel et al, 2011).…”

Sustainibility ahd Efficiency of Dairy Farms Biosecurity Plans

“…Measure of importance of these facts was presented in paper by van Schaik et al (1998). In this paper, BHV1 (Bovine Herpes Virus 1) -positive farms were found to be situated closer to other cattle farms and had more (professional) visitors in the barn, who used farm clothing less often and purchased cattle and participated in cattle shows more often, compared with the BHV1-negative farms (Sayers et al, 2013;Sayers, 2014).…”