The biosecurity status and its associations with production and management characteristics in farrow-to-finish pig herds

Abstract

Disease prevention through biosecurity measures is believed to be an important factor for improvement of the overall health status in animal production. This study aimed at assessing the levels of implementation of biosecurity measures in pig production in four European Union (EU) countries and to describe possible associations between the biosecurity level and farm and production characteristics. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 232 farrow-to-finish pig herds in Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden between December 2012 and December 2013. The biosecurity status in each of these herds was described and quantified by using the risk-based scoring tool Biocheck.UGentTM (www.biocheck.ugent.be). Production and management characteristics, obtained from the herd management system and by interviewing the farmer, were analysed for their association with the biosecurity level. A causal path was designed to study statistical associations. The results showed that there was substantial room for improvement in the biosecurity status on many pig farms. Significant differences (P<0.01) both in internal and external biosecurity levels were observed between countries. The external biosecurity status, combining all measures taken to prevent disease introduction into the herd, was highest in Germany and lowest in France. The internal biosecurity status, combining all measures taken to prevent within herd disease transmission, was highest in Sweden and lowest, with a large variation, in Belgium. External biosecurity scores were in general higher compared to internal biosecurity scores. The number of pathogens vaccinated against was significantly associated with internal biosecurity status, suggesting an overall more preventive approach towards the risk of disease transmission. A higher external biosecurity was associated with more weaned piglets per sow per year. Furthermore also the weaning age and the mortality till weaning were highly associated with the number of weaned piglets per sow per year. The negative association observed between the biosecurity level and the estimated frequency of treatment against certain clinical signs of disease as a proxy for disease incidence is consistent with the hypothesis that a higher biosecurity level results in healthier animals. These findings promote an improved biosecurity status at pig farms and are of relevance in the discussion on alternative ways to keep animals healthy with a reduced necessity of antimicrobials; Prevention is better than cure

Evaluation of the relationship between the biosecurity status, production parameters, herd characteristics and antimicrobial usage in farrow-to-finish pig production in four EU countries

“…Other herd characteristics of interest were described in more detail in the publication of Postma et al [19]. …”

“…External biosecurity was highest in Germany (70.2) and lowest in France (59.4), while the internal biosecurity level was highest in Sweden (58.8) and lowest in Belgium (50.3). In Postma et al [19] results of the biosecurity quantification in the herds in the four participating countries and the link with production characteristics were described in detail. Since five Belgian herds were lacking information on antimicrobial usage they were removed from analysis in this study, resulting in slightly different results compared to the ones published in Postma et al [19].…”

“…Anti-inflammatory, anti-coccidial and zinc-oxide usage was expressed as being applied yes or no. A more detailed description of the other variables mentioned in Table 1, such as the gender and education level, can be found in [19]. The questionnaire can be obtained upon request from the first author.…”

“…The Biocheck.UGent™ consists of 6 subcategories for internal biosecurity (1. disease management, 2. farrowing and suckling period, 3. nursing unit, 4. fattening unit, 5. measures between compartments, 6. working lines) and 6 for external biosecurity (1. purchase of breeding pigs, 2. purchase of piglets, 3. artificial insemination, 4. transport of animals, 5. feed and water supply, 6. removal of manure and dead animals). The Biocheck.UGent™ system is described in more detail in Laanen et al [20, 25], Backhans et al [26] and Postma et al [19] in which it has shown to be a comprehensive, repeatable scoring system with a predictive and discriminating validity.…”

“…Some authors have suggested a broad range of possible alternatives [12–14], for example the increased use of vaccines to make animals less sensitive to infections [15–18] or an improved management and increased biosecurity level [19, 20]. However, several of these suggested alternatives are based upon clinical observations or rational deduction rather than quantitative observations making them prone to critics due to insufficient scientific bases of their efficacy for the replacement of antimicrobials.…”