Canadian Beef Cattle On-Farm Biosecurity Standard

Principle 3: Manage Animal Health Practices

What animal health practices affect biosecurity? The general health of all animals within the operation, and how that health is maintained, is a critical factor that can and should be managed to effectively minimize disease within the operation's cattle herd.

Why are animal health practices important to biosecurity? Healthy animals are less prone to disease, yet many of the day-to-day activities and events that normally occur within beef cattle operations are also opportunities for disease transmission. Accordingly, the processes and practices by which producers maintain their animals in a generally healthy state are critical to the overall biosecurity of the operation.

Target outcomes for animal health practices – Numerous activities, practices, and processes contribute to normal, healthy, and cost-effective production within beef operations in Canada.

3.1 Establish and Maintain a Working Relationship With a Veterinarian

An established relationship implies that the veterinarian has knowledge of the producer's animals, the type and size of operation and potential disease exposure, and the overall management, specifically animal care. This is generally achieved and maintained over time through ongoing communication between the producer and the veterinarian, and may include visits to the operation and/or to the clinic, along with dialogue by telephone, email, and other means.

This relationship is important, as it enables the veterinarian to have the necessary knowledge of the animals and the operation to provide advice that is appropriate to managing the animal health of a specific operation and/or a specific animal.

3.2 Manage Herd Health According to a Documented Herd Health Plan, Prepared in Consultation With a Veterinarian

A Herd Health Plan (HHP) might address the following key elements, as determined in consultation with the producer's veterinarian:

  • reproduction (e.g. length of calving season, wean weights, calving patterns);
  • nutrition (e.g. overall cow-calf health);
  • genetics (e.g. calving ease);
  • risk identification (e.g. disease risks relevant to the operation);
  • risk management (e.g. practices for buying, vaccination, testing, segregation);
  • surveillance (e.g. regular scheduled monitoring by knowledgeable personnel);
  • response management (e.g. managing specific conditions that trigger a specific response);
  • record-keeping (e.g. documenting the application of disease risk management practices such as vaccinations and tests, as well as incidents and responses); and
  • review (e.g. reviewing records and comparing with the HHP to identify shortfalls and necessary changes to specific elements of the HHP).

Documenting (in writing) and preparing the HHP, in collaboration with a veterinarian who has a relationship with the operation, helps to ensure that all risks are considered, that a set of disease risk management responses has been planned that considers the costs and the benefits, and that there will be something to evaluate at a later date to determine whether improvements or changes are required.

3.3 Obtain Water, Feed, Medications, and Other Inputs From Safe and Reliable Sources, and Manage or Maintain to Ensure Their Ongoing Safety and Efficacy

All inputs are a possible means of introducing disease to livestock. Most inputs also serve as necessary ingredients in the treatment and recovery from a disease. As such, inputs, in general, play an important role in managing the health of livestock.

For this reason, obtain inputs from safe and reliable sources, as follows:

  • water from the cleanest source available;
  • feed from suppliers with protocols to ensure raw materials are harvested, stored, and transported to mitigate disease; and
  • medications and supplements from companies that can provide ingredient analysis, batch, lot or registration numbers, and scientific data regarding efficacy.

In addition, manage or maintain inputs to ensure their continued safety and efficacy, as follows:

  • Protect feed and supplements from contamination by means of the following:
    • Protect baled hay from wildlife with fencing or tarps.
    • Protect harvested feed and supplements from weathering, contamination with manure, and/or deadstock.
  • Store medications according to manufacturer's recommendations (e.g. with regards to temperature, light, humidity, and expiry date).

There are circumstances, however, in which the safety, reliability, or efficacy of certain inputs may be beyond a producer's control. For example, water may be contaminated by wildlife or other factors, on either a regular seasonal basis or as a result of a specific event.

Producers should observe and be aware of these situations and the resulting risk. Producers can then choose to manage the resultant risk through a range of practices that may include alternate sourcing of inputs, increased monitoring, and vaccination.

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