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Biosecurity for Cow/Calf Operation

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Biosecurity is becoming increasingly important to the Cow/Calf sector, which raises calves for the beef industry. Cow/Calf operations provide the foundation for a growing industry that supplies Canadians and international markets with high-quality genetics, meat products and meat by-products.

Bovine diseases

The global emergence and re-emergence of bovine diseases in recent years has had a major impact on the cattle industry, both within Canada and abroad.

Outbreaks of contagious diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease in other countries have resulted in significant economic losses for the cattle industry, and have created animal health and environmental concerns. These kinds of incidents emphasize the need for a comprehensive, coordinated approach to bovine biosecurity.

Led by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), federal, provincial and territorial governments are continuously collaborating with industry to implement and augment bovine biosecurity programs aimed at reducing disease transmission and protecting the interests of Canadians.

Sources of bovine diseases

Bovine diseases can be spread in a number of ways, including:

Biosecurity principles for cow/calf operations

An effective biosecurity program must address the following:

Bringing new animals to the farm is usually the greatest risk of introducing infectious disease. Producers must develop a program that is most appropriate for their operation. A herd health and biosecurity program should be created and implemented with the help of a qualified veterinarian.

Components of a biosecurity program

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