By Alicia Boakes
Despite ongoing training, audits, and well-established biosecurity rules, supply entry continues to be a risk point for introducing disease to swine farms. Dr. Brad Chappell, BSA, DVM, Topigs Norsvin Canada Inc, found that supply entry procedures were acceptable in just over 85% of farm visits.[1] This leaves a gap of nearly 15% as an exposure point for disease. What makes this finding notable is that it comes from a system already placing a strong emphasis on biosecurity, education, and compliance. It begs the question – if a system with such high standards still has gaps, what biosecurity vulnerabilities exist for others?
Even the most well-designed biosecurity program depends on consistent execution, which is nearly impossible to achieve.
Unlike other biosecurity risks, supply entry involves multiple points of human contact (often overlooked) and by individuals unknowingly long before items ever reach the barn. Factors such as packaging practices, return policies, and transportation all play a significant role. The most critical risk is at barn entry, where biosecurity rules are the last line of defense against disease. However, this risk is also highly vulnerable to human error. Barn staff working under a time crunch, service providers unfamiliar with site-specific requirements, complacency, etc. can all lead to shortcuts, honest mistakes, or missed steps. Even the most well-designed biosecurity program depends on consistent execution, which is nearly impossible to achieve.
Biosecurity is not just about adding more procedures, but about ensuring those procedures are implemented properly. This is where technology plays a prominent role. Solutions from Farm Health Guardian software are being used to bring accountability to the farm. The Farm Visitor Logbook has customizable digital check-in questions which can prompt farm visitors to confirm what they are bringing into the barn, where the items have been, and if proper disinfection procedures have been followed. This not only increases awareness at the point of entry but also creates a record that can be used for audits or disease investigations. In addition, technologies such as Protocol® D&D (Downtime & Disinfection) use facial recognition enabled door locks in fumigation rooms to ensure that proper disinfection protocols are completed before access is granted. With this kind of technology farms are no longer relying on assumptions and are gaining visibility into potential disease risks in real time. Biosecurity shifts to controlled and verifiable actions resulting in greater accountability.
As the industry continues to evolve, the focus is shifting toward technology that reduces reliance on human compliance.
While education and audits remain crucial, they may not be sufficient on their own to eliminate risk. More consistency, visibility, and enforcement are needed to close the gaps that still exist. As the industry continues to evolve, the focus is shifting toward technology that reduces reliance on human compliance. In modern swine production, the difference between a strong biosecurity program and a vulnerable one often comes down to what happens in the small routine moments like how an item makes its way into the barn.
For more information, visit farmhealthguardian.com.
[1] https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:VA6C2:ff896ac0-82c1-4f2e-8a55-3d784fcd3aab
