How to apply sanitary zone principles

Strong biosecurity protocols are the most important line of defense against disease. Not only is pig health important for animal welfare, but it also protects the economic value of your business. With established sanitary zones, producers must design protocols in order to stop the transfer of pathogens. With biosecurity principles in place, we can all make steps towards the three layers of sustainability: economic, social, and environmental.

Why is biosecurity so important?

If you don’t think strong biosecurity is essential to your business, try surviving without it. In this age of growing disease threats like PRRS (Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome), ASF (African Swine Fever), and the next devastating disease on the horizon, protecting animal health is not optional, it’s essential. With that in mind, breeders are calling for tools to secure their herds and protect their bottom line. The biosecurity protocols are the first step of defense. Biosecurity protocols are the most effective and preventative means of disease control. The prevention of disease outbreaks is key to maintaining the health, welfare, and productivity of your pigs, and it delivers major return on investment. When followed correctly, biosecurity protocols prevent disease breaks, but they also aid to control and manage the existing health status within the farm.

Sanitary zones, what's next?

To help our customers understand the importance of biosecurity, we have developed several videos to demonstrate the main principles of biosecurity implementation on farm. The most important guideline that producers need to adhere to is the sanitary zone principle. The Creation of zones on your farm with different sanitary levels, from High to Low will help to maintain high biosecurity standards. Read more on the sanitary zone principles.

The next step after implementing sanitary zones is to develop protocols when operating the day-to-day activities on your farm. Therefore, we have developed specific videos on topics related to animal transport, visitors, (an)organic materials, and feed transport. Click to view these animations and learn how these principles can work for you.

Animal Transport

• Only clean trucks are allowed to contact/enter the Controlled Access Zone (CAZ) and transport animals. Specific protocols apply for the truck and truck driver. Always design trucking protocols to respect sanitary zones
• Only introduce animals with the same sanitary status

Visitors

• The main risk lies with the objects that people carry with them, such as clothing, jewelry, mobile phones, etc.
• Control methods: separation of clean and dirty areas with a shower and change of clothes
• Depending on the risk of visitors, determine appropriate down time

(In)organic materials

• Any materials entering the Controled Access Zone (CAZ) and Restricted Access Zone (RAZ) should be properly disinfected
• Disease can also be introduced via semen. To avoid this, check the health status of the AI station and control entry of semen onto the farm (choose delivery location, disinfect package)
• Liquid manure should be stored in a lagoon or pit in the dirty zone
• Disposal of dead animals / organic material must be done with full respect to the sanitary zones, and limiting intervention of external transport to an absolute minimum (incineration on site is the preferred method)

Feed transport

• Preferably a truck dedicated to the company should be used
• Driver and truck need at least one night down time without any contact with pigs or people closely associated with the sector

Practicing good biosecurity is the best method in preventing disease outbreaks and keeping animals on your farm healthy and productive. Through biosecurity protocols and veterinary support, Hypor, the swine brand of Hendrix Genetics, strengthens the industry by maintaining strong supply channels with high quality animal genetics. Healthy, reliable genetics will contribute to a more sustainable swine industry now and in the future.