Biosecurity Best Practices

Employee Policies

• Check references for all new employees to
  1. Ensure appropriate skills, responsibility and aptitude
  2. To exclude applicants with a history of inappropriate workplace behavior
• Train employees regularly about the importance of biosecurity and the role they play in maintaining the health and safety of the animals
• Require employees to inform management if they own livestock at their homes
• Require employees, other than veterinarians to report when they visit other animal facilities

Crisis and Risk Communication

• Identify communication spokesperson, and communication resources in advance
• Advise employees not to speak to the media unless authorized to do so
• Develop crisis communication scripts for a FMD incident
• Know key industry groups, law enforcement, emergency management, and animal health officials

Coordination with Animal Health Agencies and Local Government

• Post a facility map for employees and first responders
• Update an emergency contact list with phone numbers at least once a year

Visitor Control

• Require visitors enter at the main entrance and have a clearly marked sign
• Require all visitors to sign in and out when visiting the facility
• Designate a parking area for visitors
• Prevent visitors from having contact with livestock, and feed unless necessary (e.g., veterinarians and other animal service providers)
• Require individuals who have contact with animals to organize their work from healthy to sick, and youngest to oldest in addition to wearing Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), if warranted

Foreign Travel

• Require employees to notify management when they travel outside of the United States
• Write an employee policy regarding international travel
• Put measures in place to control access to visitors and staff who have recently visited at risk foreign countries
• Ask visitors about recent travel
• Make sure employees are aware of what countries' visitors pose a high risk for bringing FEAD into the feedyard

Movement On and Off the Property

• Make staff aware of the potential for introduction and transmission of disease by vehicles, machinery, and equipment
• Direct vehicles, machinery, and equipment entering the facility area to specified locations based on the function of the vehicle
• Use dedicated equipment (e.g., shovels, skid steer, dump buckets) for manure management
• Require third party contractors coming onto the facility/operation clean and disinfect their equipment prior to working at the facility
• Properly dispose of deadstock and document in accordance with established procedures
• Establish a dead animal pickup point away from pen areas and not in yard vehicle traffic patterns so that rendering trucks do not contaminate the operation
• Have a veterinarian, or other trained professional, perform a necropsy on any animals that die from suspicious causes

Zoonotic Diseases

• Educate employees about zoonotic disease risks
• Provide zoonotic disease information handouts to employees
• Train employees to report any suspicious illness or symptoms in themselves or their families to management
• Remind staff to wash their hands before and after coming into contact with animals
• Provide employees with appropriate PPE and train how and when to use it

Record Keeping

• Maintain accurate records to facilitate tracing to determine the possible source and spread of a disease
• Keep records of all sales, transfers, and purchases of commodities and equipment at the facility/operation
• Keep inventory records of all supplies brought onto the premises
• Keep records of the visitor sign-in sheets

Animal Handling and Contact

• Follow facility cleanliness protocols with special attention to avoid cross contamination of feeding equipment and with manure handling equipment
• Develop an animal health management/treatment plan with the aid of a veterinarian
• Clean and disinfect instruments for procedures such as dehorning, implants, vaccinations, etc. between use on different animals
• Individually tag new animals arriving at the operation/facility for identification
• Do not mix new animals arriving at the operation/facility with existing animals
• Acquire new animals directly from preferred domestic suppliers who maintain a quality assurance program that includes a biosecurity component

Disease Detection and Surveillance

• Minimize stacking of stressful events (e.g., handling animals multiple times on the same day)
• Make sure all animals are monitored daily by workers trained to recognize the signs of disease and who know to report any suspicious disease symptoms to management
• Screen animals for disease when they arrive at the facility
• Make a clean area for restraint, treatment and isolation of sick animals
• Work healthiest animals first and sick last in an attempt to decrease cross-contamination
• Have a veterinarian develop treatment protocols and monitors response rates on routine visits to the facility
• Have a veterinarian train the crews to monitor treatment response rates and to stay aware of treatment success even when not on the facility

Feral Animals and Wildlife Management

• Make sure there are periodic checks for rodent or other wildlife infestation
• Protect all supplies from rodent and wildlife infestation/contamination
• Implement a pest management program by using appropriate insecticides
• Build fences in a way that prohibits feral animals and wildlife from entering the facility

Physical Security

• Use perimeter fencing separating the facility from public access areas
• Use security cameras to monitor the facility
• Lock entry gates and doors (other than the main entrance) so that only authorized personnel have access
• Install alarms and other security equipment
• Secure hazardous materials, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and/or additives in a storage area for authorized access only
• Employ a watchperson on site after hours

Vector Control

• Remove sources of standing water or treat with larvicide to prevent mosquitoes
• Keep the vegetation and grass short on the facility
• Treat pets and other domestic animals at the facility/operation with anti-tick products
• Use baits and fly traps

Cleaning and Disinfection (C&D)

• Clean vehicles before entering an operation/facility
• Train employees to read and follow the labels on all disinfectants
• Dedicate an area for cleaning and disinfection and have a runoff collection plan
• Train employees how to C&D vehicles, equipment, and facilities including after it is used on animals, deadstock, or for manure management

Heightened Biosecurity Operations

• Provide employees with information on high threat diseases (including signs and symptoms) for increased monitoring and surveillance
• Put procedures in place to alert other facilities/individuals that they may have come into contact with (or could be the source of) disease
• Ensure all vehicles coming from off-site are appropriately cleaned (free of organic debris) and disinfected prior to entering and leaving the premises
• Establish work zones/routes to be utilized during heightened biosecurity situations to prevent contamination from outside the facility
• Set up an area for visitors to clean and sanitize their boots with disinfectant prior to entry onto the facility
• Do not allow visitor and employee vehicles to be parked on the premises during a heightened event. Require them to walk on site.
• Provide visitors with disposable plastic boots (or clean rubber boots which remain at the feedyard) and coveralls as an added precaution if they come into contact with animals, feed, soil or manure in a heightened biosecurity situation
• Keep access gates closed to monitor the entrance of all vehicles and ensure they only go only to designated areas
• Collaboratively work with law enforcement, local, state and federal animal health officials and emergency management officials
• Develop a communication plan before the incident as the media will be interested in the operations due to a FEAD outbreak
• Advise employees to NOT to speak with the press or officials unless specifically authorized to do so during an FEAD incident
• Identify a suitable location to run decontamination activities on the facility

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