NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

September 17, 1998

Biosecurity Important for Dairy Herds

Individual dairy farms are getting larger, and the potential for export sales of U.S. dairy products appears to be growing So, concerns about food safety and milk quality have joined the expanding list of economic issues now facing dairy producers.

Changes in management practices may provide effective solutions to some of those challenges, says an animal scientist at North Dakota State University. For example, producers can employ the concept of whole-herd health as a substitute for the more traditional method of treating individual animals. Another management change worth considering is the establishment of a biosecurity plan.

"Biosecurity plans encompass all areas of milk production and are directed toward reducing the odds of bringing disease onto the farm and minimizing the overall effects of disease," says J.W. Schroeder, extension dairy specialist at NDSU.

An advisory team made up of a veterinarian, nutritionist and other dairy consultants can help producers define farm goals and develop a biosecurity program specific to their operations. Components of a such a program include strategies for isolation, traffic control and sanitation.

At the onset, producers and their team can analyze current management practices to check for weaknesses that could create biosecurity problems. The team could routinely monitor records, a task with a twofold purpose: to measure progress toward achieving farm goals and to fine-tune areas that need corrective actions. Another team duty would be to draw a flow chart showing animal movement and identify critical control points for all groups of animals, from arrival on the farm through departure, says Schroeder. The team can also establish precautions to ensure that all disease hazards posed by adult animals are kept away from newborn calves and young heifers.

"Purchased cattle present their own problems when coming onto a farm," continues Schroeder. "If the farm plans to purchase cows or heifers, arrangements for isolation will help protect the new cattle and the established herd from new diseases. The isolation period also allows time to test new cows for diseases such as mastitis, BVD and others."

Sanitation is another major area to consider when establishing good management plans. Efforts in keeping housing clean and dry will decrease exposure to organisms that cause disease. Removing sick animals to another pen helps to reduce exposure. Schroeder advises cleaning and sanitizing pens after every use, and if possible, leaving the pens empty for a few days before reusing.

"The ideas of biosecurity are generally fairly simple, but implementing such practices on a routine basis is essential to achieving biosecurity," concludes Schroeder. "With the increasing interest in exporting dairy products, biosecurity programs will become vital to the future of our dairy industry."

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Source: J.W. Schroeder (701) 231-7663

Editor: Tom Jirik (701) 231-9629