New video aims to help producers strengthen livestock biosecurity
A new video from Iowa’s Department of Agriculture and Iowa State University aims to help livestock producers prevent foreign animal disease outbreaks.
The video shows producers how to set up a vehicle cleaning and disinfection corridor to protect their farms and neighboring farms during a disease outbreak.
A cleaning and disinfection corridor is a critical part of an on-farm biosecurity plan, officials said in the announcement. All vehicles, trucks, trailers and equipment entering or exiting a farm during a disease outbreak should be properly cleaned and disinfected to help prevent pathogens from spreading to other locations and livestock.
“Practicing proper biosecurity on livestock farms every day is the best way to protect animal health, and biosecurity becomes even more important during a foreign animal disease outbreak,” said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. “This video is one of many resources the department has created to help livestock producers plan and prepare for a foreign animal disease outbreak so they can respond more effectively, if an outbreak occurs.”
The video, available on YouTube and the Department of Agriculture’s website, outlines several key steps:
- How to select the location and prepare a decontamination corridor.
- Items needed to operate a cleaning and disinfection station.
- What to do when a vehicle arrives at the farm.
- How vehicles should enter the decontamination corridor.
- How vehicles should leave a farm directly affected by a foreign animal disease.
- How to disinfect the decontamination corridor.
- How to protect personnel.
- How to properly remove personal protective equipment.
- How to plan for inclement weather.