Disease Reduction and Control

New Hope Veterinary Clinic February, 2008

BiosecurityManagement practices that

decrease the chance of bringing an infectious disease onto your farm

Biosecurity

Potential Biosecurity “Breaches”

• Cattle from other premises• Feedstuffs• Vehicles• People• Water .

Biocontainment

• Management practices that slow the spread of infectious disease on your farm

Biocontainment

Potential Biocontainment “Breaches”

• Facilities design• Lack of isolation area• Feeding waste milk• Feeding colostrum from untested

cows• Newborn calves mixed with older

calves/cows• Feeding leftover feed• Hospital pens = Maternity pens• Feed and water• Manure .

Why Are Biosecurity & Biocontainment Important?

• Protect animal health• Protect your investment• Protect our food supply

and human health– Zoonotic diseases: E coli,

Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Brucellosis, Tuberculosis, Johne’s/Crohn’s Disease?

Why Are Biosecurity & Biocontainment Important in 2008?

• Consider media and “popular” diseases in the news– Foot and Mouth Disease– Mad Cow Disease (BSE)– Tuberculosis– Avian Influenza

• We live in a world economy– More animal movement– Foreign market expectations/requirement .

What is a closed herd?

• Never buy/board animals• Animals that leave herd do not return• No shared pasture fence lines with neighbor

pasture/livestock• Cattle not transported by third party .

Low Risk Level• True closed herd– Never buy/board animals– Animals that leave herd do not return– No shared pasture fence lines with neighbor

pasture/livestock– Cattle not transported by third party

• No animals ever introduced, no animals leaving farm ever return

• Some diseases are still present (carrier animals, opportunistic germs, etc.) .

Moderate Risk Level

• “Closed” herd, but…• Potential for purchases from well-known

source• Show cattle in herd leave and return• Plan for potential diseases .

High Risk Level

• Regular purchases of livestock of any age• Purchase from unknown sources (auctions,

sale barn)• Potential for any and all diseases to enter herd

(contagious mastitis, pneumonia, hairy warts, abortions, pinkeye, scours) .

New Hope Veterinary ClinicJohne’s Testing Results 2005

Placement of Dairy Herds byLevel of Certificationor Risk Management

1(neg)6%

C(5-15% )38%

D(>15% )22% A(neg)

17%

B(<5% )17% 1(neg)

A(neg)

B(<5% )

C(5-15% )

D(>15% )

Biosecurity Basics

• Control human access– Parking/vehicles – limited, clean– Signs limiting access– Protective clothing/boots

• Control animal contact with other animals• Quarantine new animals• Test new animals• Vaccinate new animals .

Reducing Risk / Preventing Introduction of Diseases

• Know source of cattle– Non-infected or known health status– Effective vaccination program– Not mixed with other animals before sale

• Purchase open heifers• Decrease contact with other animals (deer,

dogs)• Know transport– Use your own vehicle if possible – cleaned before

and after .

Reducing Risk / Preventing Introduction of Diseases - Introducing

New Animals• 30 day quarantine (feed, water, grooming)– 2007 – 20% of U.S. herds quarantined new additions

• Vaccinations during quarantine period– 2007 – 50% of U.S. herds required vaccination of new

additions• Test new animals prior to commingling with herd– 2007 - 25% of U.S. herds required testing of new additions

• Foot bath• Milking hygiene (proper teat dipping, milk new

additions last) .

What Can New Cattle Bring In?

• BVD• Johne’s Disease (Mycobacterium paratuberculosis) • Lepto Hardjo• BLV (Bovine Leukosis)• Hairy Heel Warts• Contagious mastitis (Staph aureus, Strep ag, Mycoplasma)• Salmonella• Tuberculosis• Brucellosis .

What diseases can we test for in new additions?

• BVD – blood test, ear notch• Johne’s – blood test, fecal culture• Lepto hardjo – no test• BLV – blood test• Hairy heel wart – no test, observation• Contagious mastitis – culture animal or have bulk tank culture

of purchased herd• Salmonella – culture???• Tuberculosis – skin test• Brucellosis – blood test .

Decreasing Herd Exposure(Biocontainment)

• Isolate sick and diseased cattle with “unusual” signs• Necropsy unexpected deaths• Avoid calf exposure to older cattle– Unweaned calves are the most susceptible animals to

illness on farms

• Disinfect as possible (especially calf hutches, etc)• Decrease manure contamination .

Improving Resistance in the Herd(Biosecurity & Biocontainment)

• Decrease environmental stresses– CLEAN, DRY, COMFORTABLE

• Proper/adequate nutrition• Proper/timely Colostrum • Strategic vaccination program based on risk

and potential exposure as well as history of problems in herd .