Prevent
• Introduced animals should be physically isolated and quarantined on the farm for a period of 7-14 days. The enclosure should not allow nose-to-nose/beak-to-beak contact between newly introduced animals and those previously present, or water run-off from this area to other areas containing animals. It is best practice to have separate workers for the different facilities. If this is not possible, have workers attend to previously existing animals first (i.e. water, feeding and cleansing) prior to going to the quarantine area for similar chores or inspection; • The farm perimeter and intensive animal sheds should be secured by appropriate fences and it is highly desirable that there should be a single entry point with disinfection points established. Livestock-free buffer zones around the farm could be considered; • Staff should be trained in good zoosanitary and hygiene practices, e.g. disinfection of hands and equipment before coming in contact with animals, as well as in disease recognition; • Farm sheds and equipment should be regularly cleaned and particularly kept free of spilled feed; • Wild birds, vermin and other animals should be kept away from animal sheds and from animal feed and water supplies; • Visitors should be kept to a minimum and, where possible, should be kept away from direct contact with animals. High-risk visitors (e.g. livestock owners and animal health professionals) should be required to apply personal disinfection and wear protective clothing; and • Trucks and equipment brought on to the farm should be cleansed and disinfected on entering and leaving. High-risk things, such as dead-animal pick-up trucks, should be kept well away from animals. While many of these procedures may be impracticable for small-holder or semi-commercial animal farmers, even the simplest precautions can go a long way to preventing the introduction of serious diseases. Of particular importance is to encourage farmers to purchase only healthy animals from reliable sources and to keep newly introduced animals physically separated for an appropriate period. They should also be encouraged to keep their animals physically contained and to prevent them from mingling with other animals.
Other strategies Other disease prevention strategies may be applicable in special circumstances. If there is a very high and immediate threat of introduction of a serious livestock disease to a country or a region of a country, strict quarantine controls or bans could be placed on the movement of livestock and livestock products from these risk areas. The development of disease-free zones with strong safeguards against disease introduction could also be considered. Such standards have been published by the OIE. Pre-emptive disease management techniques and targeted vaccination campaigns could be considered. An example of this might be if weather patterns and/or mosquito population densities indicated that there was an imminent threat of Rift Valley fever or African horse sickness epidemics in high-risk areas. If structures are available, animals can be housed in screened stables at early morning and evening times when vector activity is highest and insect repellents could be used.
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