Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard

Principle 1: Manage and Minimize Animal Movement Risks

1.1 Manage Comingling

What is comingling? Comingling occurs when cattle from one operation mix or come into contact with cattle from another operation. This can take place when animals are put on crown range or in community pastures, are acquired at auction or are "shown."

These forms of comingling are quite common in Canada's beef cattle industry, and most producers are familiar with them.

Why is comingling an important biosecurity risk? Comingling represents a significant disease risk for a number of reasons:

  • When animals from different operations are mixed together, cattle may be exposed to diseases present in other animals.
  • Often, there is little awareness or control of the management practices applied to animals from the other operations.
  • The management practices and disease risks can vary significantly between the operations that are comingling cattle.
  • The disease status of animals can be difficult to ascertain, as animals can be infected without showing signs of disease.

There is a real and significant opportunity for disease transmission from one group of cattle to another. In short, all efforts to manage disease on one operation can be jeopardized and quite possibly nullified when animals commingle.

Certain comingling practices are integral to many operations in Canada's beef cattle industry, and it is unrealistic to suggest that producers stop these practices or that it would be to their benefit. Producers, however, should recognize and manage the risks that accompany these practices.

For instance, comingling is integral to most feedlot operations, wherein a number of well-documented animal health practices have been developed and have evolved specifically to manage the resulting risks.

Comingling is also integral to many cow-calf operations, whether they be ranging or pasturing of cattle, auctions or shows, or other production channels. It is important for producers who use or are associated with these production channels to recognize the disease risks and to manage those risks by applying appropriate biosecurity practices. Such practices include discussing the disease and the vaccination, treatment, and history of animals that commingle.

Target outcomes to minimize the risk of comingling – The following outcomes are necessary to manage or minimize the disease risks associated with comingling.

1.1.1 Segregate and, When Warranted, Vaccinate, Test, and Otherwise Treat, Incoming Animals

Segregating incoming animals, or holding them separate from the main herd for a period of time, enables monitoring for the presence of disease and lessens the risk that any disease they might carry would be introduced into the herd.

Segregation also provides the opportunity to monitor the health status of the herd from which incoming animals were sourced. If disease occurs in the source herd during this period, employ additional biosecurity measures.

Several factors are critical to effective segregation:

  • separation – the use of physical, spatial (distance), and/or procedural barriers to prevent direct or indirect contact between the new animals and the herd into which they are being introduced (e.g. barn walls, pens isolated from one another); dedicated equipment used only for segregated animals or cleaning, and in some cases, disinfecting equipment, particularly veterinary equipment, and tools that are used for segregated animals prior to use with other animals; controlling movement of personnel and farm traffic (e.g. treating healthy animals before segregated animals, or with different personnel);
  • monitoring – regular observation of the incoming animals to determine whether it is necessary to address additional health risks before they are introduced to the herd (e.g. morning and evening pen checks); and
  • time – observing a period long enough to ensure that the likely health risks will become known (e.g. two weeks is long enough for most common bovine diseases to become apparent if they are present).

Segregate incoming animals for two weeks, during which time they will be monitored twice daily while held in facilities where they have no direct or indirect contact with the herd to which they are being introduced. This time period also allows incoming animals to acclimate and become accustomed to their environment within the new operation.

Vaccinate incoming animals for disease risks that are relevant within the new herd and environment. Test and treat for those disease risks that are relevant to the herd and the environment from which they originated and to which they may have been exposed. Preferably, these actions would be taken prior to arrival, although they may also occur during segregation.

Segregate, vaccinate, test, and otherwise treat animals returning to the herd following a temporary removal for range, show, backgrounding, or other reasons prior to re-introduction into the herd.

1.1.2 Obtain and Share Information About Commingled Animals With Previous and Future Owners

Knowing the disease status and the animal health regime of commingled animals enables future owners or managers to identify any potential disease risks and to plan for and manage those risks.

Before animals are introduced to or removed from a comingling situation, producers may request the following information from other producers who are involved:

  • What disease risks were the other animals exposed to?
  • What vaccination or testing regime was applied?

If that information is not readily available, employ additional biosecurity measures (e.g. segregation) before animals are reintroduced into the herd. Alternatively, information may be provided which indicates disease risks exist that differ from those being managed. In either case, the producer who is aware of the disease risk before other animals are exposed can take the appropriate steps to manage it.

1.1.3 Minimize Contact With Animals of Other Species and From Other Operations to the Extent Possible

Animals of other species, whether from the same or a different operation, may present disease risks that are not being managed within the beef cattle herd in question. The same is true for cattle from other operations.

Further, a disease that is latent or not expressed in another species could be expressed with significant and negative impact in cattle.

Minimizing direct and indirect contact, where practical, with animals from another operation, or from other species, helps prevent the introduction of diseases that are not being managed on farm.

In those situations where it is impossible or impractical to avoid these types of interactions, producers can take steps to manage the risk (e.g. enhanced monitoring, vaccination).

1.2 Manage Movements of High-Risk and Highly Susceptible Animals

What are high-risk and highly susceptible animals? While many animal movements occur within the normal day-to-day operation of beef cattle operations across Canada, some of these involve animals that present a greater disease risk than others.

High-risk animals are of unknown or greater risk of transmitting disease, and include those that are as follows:

  • of unknown health status (whether within the operation or outside the operation);
  • new to the operation or having been away from the operation;
  • other species that may contribute to disease risk; and
  • sick or recently recovered.

Highly susceptible animals are at a relatively increased risk of infection, and include the following:

  • calves and/or young stock;
  • recently weaned calves;
  • sick, stressed, or recently recovered animals; and
  • animals lacking immunity or resistance.

Why are high-risk and highly susceptible animals an important biosecurity risk? The opportunity for introducing or spreading disease is greater with these animals for various reasons, two of which arise from their likelihood to do the following:

  • introduce disease (a high-risk animal) to other animals, because they were as follows:
    • raised under a different health management program that may not address the disease risks within the herd or operation,
    • exposed to disease risks that are not addressed within the operation, or
    • raised in an unknown health management program; and
  • acquire disease (a highly susceptible animal) because of an already compromised immune system that is compounded by the stress that accompanies most movements, and results in a significantly lowered resistance to disease.

Clearly, this does not suggest that all movements of these classes of animals can or should be eliminated. However, producers should be aware that movements of these particular animals might incur greater risk than movements of some other animals. Once producers recognize that risk, they may choose to manage or minimize it accordingly.

Target outcomes to manage high-risk and highly susceptible animals – The following outlines the actions required to manage or minimize disease risks of these high-risk and highly susceptible animal movements.

1.2.1 Manage and Minimize Movements of, and Contacts With, High-Risk and Highly Susceptible Animals

Fewer movements, and less contact with other animals, help reduce the likelihood that highly susceptible animals will contract disease. This is because their recovering or developing immune systems are not slowed by the additional stress that accompanies movements, or are not challenged by potential exposure to diseases that may be present in other animals.

Minimizing contacts with high-risk animals, which by definition have a greater likelihood of disease, reduces the likelihood of introducing disease to the herd.

1.2.2 Use or Request Clean Trucks for Movement of Highly Susceptible Animals

Diseases can be harboured in and transmitted by contaminated surfaces, particularly the organic material within and on livestock trucks.

Using clean trucks to transport highly susceptible animals can reduce the likelihood that these animals will be exposed to and contract disease. While clean trucks are desirable for transporting all animals, highly susceptible animals are at greatest risk of contracting disease due to compromised immune systems.

Clearly, there are circumstances in which clean trucks are unavailable in a timely or cost-effective manner. These may include subzero temperatures, distance to clean-out stations, seasonal demand, and other reasons. In such circumstances, producers who are aware of the resulting risk can take appropriate action, such as increasing monitoring after transport.

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