From quarantining employees on the farm in the event of an African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in countries afflicted by this disease to dedicating transportation to pick up employees and bring them to the farm, the measures taken to stop the spread of ASF are not all simple.
But, most would agree that each additional layer of biosecurity can make a major difference when it comes to protecting your farm’s livelihood. Ilia Zubtsov, genetic and technical services manager for PIC Russia, said some of the most impactful biosecurity changes they’ve implemented on farms in Russia are not difficult to do.
The key? It’s a combination of strong biosecurity protocols, awareness, and trust and openness, he said. Here are five steps he believes have helped their farms fight this deadly virus that’s now endemic in Russia.
1. Clearly define clean and dirty sides on your farm.
Assume all roads around the farm are dirty. You have to decide on the clean, the dirty and the gray areas.
2. Increase employee farm entry policies.
There are guards and security at every farm entrance in Russia. Basically, they interrogate you, Zubtsov said. They ask where you’ve been, ask you to fill out forms. You also disinfect hands, change shoes right at the guards. “There’s literally a barrier you have to step over to get in,” he said.
In addition, employees shower in and out – there is nothing taken inside. Farm clothes are washed every day inside the facility.
3. Disinfect all equipment and pig trucks that come to or leave the farm.
All trucks and equipment are disinfected (despite the outside temperature) before they come on or off farm. There is a disinfection area at entry for all types of transport.
Employees do not go outside the farm in working clothes and they always change boots, Zubtsov said. They all use equipment and materials from the farm only and are cautious to not cross the biosecurity lines when moving pigs to the truck.
4. Upgrade the farm perimeter.
A double fence around the farm territory is a must for compartment 4 (Russian biosecurity protocols are broken into compartments, and regions) operations, he said. They must keep the farm territory clean and tidy at all times – cut grass, plowed soil, no debris. No high-growing crops are allowed around the perimeter because they need to be able to see any wild boars in the area.
5. Utilize common catering and centralized food delivery.
Because ASF can survive in infected meat, common catering is the only solution for the situation, Zubtsov explained. All food is delivered to farm in special containers and cooking takes place on the farm site. People eat together and are under supervision when meals are served.
More from Farm Journal’s PORK:
5 Lessons Russia Learned from African Swine Fever
