Biosecurity drive: Applying high-health protocol to all pig units

Visitors to a recent AHDB pig club found out how high-health protocols of the sort in place at PIC nucleus units can be adapted to protect against disease on all pig units. 

Pig producers can often do more than they think to help keep out disease, on both indoor and outdoor farms. 

At AHDB’s winter pig clubs, organised by knowledge exchange manager Pat Loten, producers were given a full insight into the protocols used on a high-health PIC nucleus unit, as well as ideas on how they could be adapted to suit their own situations. 

Most high-health unit measures can be adapted to help protect commercial units, creating versions that work within their own routines and facilities, explained PIC key account manager, Nick Butler, and NPA chief policy adviser Rebecca Veale. 

African swine fever (ASF) is still looming in Europe and there has been an increase in swine dysentery cases at home, which can often be triggered by colder weather. 

While producers naturally tighten up their biosecurity in the event of a major disease outbreak, there should be a continual review process to minimise outbreaks in the first place, said Ms Veale.

Understanding the health status of any unit supplying pigs is critical in limiting the direct risk of introducing disease. There are also many indirect risks to consider, including vehicles, people, mobile phones and equipment. 

You can read the full article, which appeared in the January issue of Pig World, HERE. 

Rebecca recently urged all pig keepers to be extra vigilant for disease, amid signs of an uplift in some diseased domestically and the ever-present threat of African swine fever.