Top Tips for Animal Disease Prevention

Disease prevention is the number one concern for livestock and poultry operators today not only due to bio-security concerns associated with threats such as Foot and Mouth Disease, but also for managing ever-present disease problems of E. Coli, salmonella and common farm respiratory ailments.

"A well-planned and implemented cleaning and disinfection program can reduce environmental disease challenges and give vaccination programs the greatest opportunity to work," explains Fred Schneider. "It also will help prevent the transfer of disease-causing organisms during all phases of farm production. But it is essential that the disinfectants used are formulated and tested to work under practical farm conditions in order to control these threatening animal pathogens."

Choosing the right product from the many available can be a confusing process, says Schneider. He lists the following five features for choosing a farm disinfectant as most important to ensure efficient and economical disease-fighting activity.

1. Broad-spectrum control of key disease-causing organisms. Livestock and poultry operations typically fight a few major diseases, but it's also important to anticipate other problems and keep the minor ones in check.

2. Works on contact. A good livestock product should start working immediately to control the ever-present, disease causing gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, molds, fungi and other microorganisms. It also should be proven to work effectively in the presence of organic matter.

3. Keeps on working with residual control. The more often you treat, the more costly the treatment. Finding a product that provides continual, germ-killing activity will prove most efficient and more cost effective in the long run.

4. Safe for animals and workers. Disease prevention and control is especially important in nurseries and hatcheries in order to protect young animals that have rudimentary immune systems.

5. Easy to mix, use and apply. Operator ease is an important aspect of any disinfectant program and care should be taken to find products that mix well, are non-corrosive, and penetrate properly.

"If the livestock industry learned anything during the past year it is how easily and rapidly animal diseases can strike. Disease control must be a priority, not only for individual production areas, but for livestock and poultry operations across the globe." ©