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BIOSECURITY

HEALTH PROTECTION AND SANITATION STRATEGIES FOR CATTLE

Mike Sanderson, DVM, MS; Jan Sargeant, DVM, PhD; and Mark Spire DVM, MS
College of Veterinary Medicine – Kansas State University

April 2001

This Factsheet describes management strategies to prevent the introduction of disease to a farm with particular reference to Foot and Mouth Disease. Although the Factsheet refers specifically to cattle, the general strategies are applicable to other farm livestock.

At the time of this writing, Canada, the United States and Mexico are free of Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD). This unique status is shared with Australia and New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere. Several other countries in the world are also free of FMD. However, many Asian countries, several in South America, Africa, and most recently the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and France are experiencing outbreaks of the disease.

On-farm Control

Kansas's livestock producers prevent the introduction of FMD (and other foreign animal diseases) by common sense and practical on-farm strategies. FMD virus is easily killed by common procedures for cleaning or washing clothes - dry cleaning, bleach or washing soda. People may harbor the FMD virus in their nasal cavity for up to 2 days. The best available knowledge confirms that persons who have been working with FMD animals must stay away from healthy animals for at least five days.

To prevent the introduction of foreign animal diseases from infected animals on farms in countries with the diseases, Kansas producers should follow these guidelines:

  1. Management of New Arrivals - Prevent the Introduction of Disease
    1. Maintain a closed herd
      2. The first method is not to purchase cattle. A truly closed herd does not allow the introduction of any outside animals. For practical reasons, there are few truly closed herds in Kansas. In the case of a Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak owners should maintain closed status until the outbreak is contained.
      • Do not allow the introduction of any outside animals to the herd
      • Prevent fence line contacts of livestock with other herds
      • Use artificial insemination for breeding and do not bring in bulls
      • Do not exhibit at shows
      • Restrict visitors.
    2. Know the source of incoming animals
      • Require health certification on all incoming animals.
      • Receive incoming animals during daylight and inspect all animals off the truck for signs of disease.

  2. Management of Farm Traffic - Prevent the Spread of Diseases
    Minimize traffic between farms, ranches, and feedlot operations. Farm visitors wearing boots or clothing freshly contaminated with infectious agents can spread cattle diseases among farms. Birds, rodents, pets, people, equipment, and vehicles contaminated with manure (or other bodily excretions) should be considered potential disease carriers.
    1. Control birds rats and mice
       Pigeons, sparrows, starlings, and rats and mice may act as carriers of infectious agents on their feet and within their digestive system.
    2. Control people and pets
      People and pets can spread contaminated material directly on footwear, hands, and clothing and fur.

      3. To decrease the spread of contaminants:
      • inform herd workers, visitors, and truckers of your farm protection methods and insist upon cooperation from these individuals
      • keep visiting vehicles out of areas accessible to livestock
      • insist visitors wash/disinfect their boots before entering and leaving
      • supply rubber boots and clean coveralls for visitors
      • provide a footbath containing an effective disinfectant
      • control the movement of dogs and cats between farms
      • wash farm clothing with detergents and bleach or washing soda
      • ask foreign visitors about their attendance on farms in their country of origin
      • restrict visitors from their farm if the visitor has been on a farm with a contagious foreign animal disease within the previous 5 days
    3. Equipment
      Disease can spread from farm-to-farm indirectly by small and large equipment. To reduce this spread:
      • use your own equipment, halters, nose tongs, clippers etc. rather than borrowing them
      • thoroughly wash and disinfect the inside, outside, and tires of equipment shared with neighbors
    4. Use disinfectants
      Information about disinfectants is available on the product label or from farm supply dealers, veterinarians, the United States Department of Agriculture, and the product manufacturers. For best results disinfectants should be applied to cleaned surfaces.

    Product Dilution Mixing Instructions Notes
    Bleach - 5.25% Sodium hypochlorite 3% Add 3 gallons of bleach to 2 gallons of water Even this high concentration is not effective on dirty surfaces
    Acetic Acid 4-5% Add 6.5 oz of glacial acetic acid to 1 gallon of water Undiluted vinegar, (4% acetic acid) may be used
    Sodium Hydroxide (lye) 2% Add 1/3 cup of lye pellets to 1 gallon of cold water Highly caustic, - use rubber clothing, gloves, and safety goggles. ALWAYS add the lye to the  water.- NEVER pour water over the lye
    Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) 4% Add 1 pound of sodium carbonate to 3 gallons of hot water Mildly caustic - may dull painted or varnished surfaces

    1. Monitoring and Reporting
      2. Provide training to employees on recognition of signs of FMD. Monitor livestock and promptly report any symptoms of FMD to your local veterinarian. FMD may cause high fevers, blisters around the mouth or on the feet, reduced appetite, and lameness. FMD can be confused with several other, but less harmful diseases such as vesicular stomatitis or swine vesicular disease. Failure to promptly report a suspected case of FMD will endanger your neighbors and the entire US livestock industry.