about the importance of biosecurity measures.
At the Pork Congress, Farm Director KC Sheperd talked with Dr. Alicia Gorczyca-Southerland, Assistant State Veterinarian, about being on the front lines of animal disease preparedness. Dr. Gorczyca-Sutherland said that there are things that both commercial and show pig producers can do to prevent disease in their operations.
She warned that any detection of African Swine Fever initiates a national response. It would invoke a national standstill, which means that no hogs would be permitted to be moved for 72 hours. During and after that time, state vets would establish control areas to determine where the disease exists and does not. Movement for business continuity would be permitted, but things only after enhanced biosecurity has been implemented and along with extensive testing.
“Education and outreach are pivotal because we need to be able to discuss what biosecurity is and bring it to a level that farmers can understand,” she said. “There are things that folks can do today to help protect their farms, but we also have to talk to them about what response looks like so it isn’t such a scary concept. We hear a lot of misconceptions about how the state, or feds, will come in and kill all of a person’s pigs.”
The outbreak of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) only served to prove that having good biosecurity practices in place is of the utmost importance. “It isn’t necessarily animal movement that spreads HPAI, but rather a break in biosecurity, as far as what we call fomites: the movement of the disease itself on vehicles, people, and equipment. If we can take steps today to prevent that from happening, on everyday farms, we are going to be in better shape for any type of outbreak.”
Dr. Gorczyca-Sutherland spoke about large gatherings of animals such as what is seen at the Oklahoma Youth Expo, where biosecurity measures are taken very seriously. “When you have that number of animals all together, having a disease break out would be a nightmare. So, we do take the time to check animals, walk the barns, and look for disease, so that we can stop it as quickly as possible. Then for the exhibitors going home after the show, we take the time to educate on isolating those animals. Don’t introduce animals that have just been exposed to thousands of other animals and whatever diseased they could potentially have had or carried at the time, back into your animals on the farm.”
She admitted that it can be a headache sometimes and that people on all fronts do get frustrated but emphasized the importance of protecting each farm and animal from disease introduction.
She advised exhibitors to clean and disinfect all equipment before, during, and after the show. Also to be mindful of their footwear. “I think overall the show industry does a great job with biosecurity measures, but maybe, at a show, if they see people who aren’t doing so well, to offer a friendly hand to show them some things that would help them and their livestock be safer. I think that would be even more useful down the road.”
