Visitor biosecurity management
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2 min read
Biosecurity on your farm involves taking measures to protect the health of your animals and prevent the spread of pests and diseases. The page highlights simple controls such as having one clear entry point, displaying biosecurity signage, using a visitor sign-in form, and setting specific rules for overseas visitors. Emphasis is placed on cleaning and disinfection procedures, especially for visitors' boots. Guidelines for creating specific farm policies and procedures are included, and the page outlines the use of red, orange, and green zones to map out and manage risk areas on your farm.
Anyone coming onto the farm is entering your farm ‘bubble’ and may pose a risk to the health of your animals or bring weeds and pests along for the ride.
To reduce the risk, it’s important to set up some simple controls on your farm.
Simple steps to reduce the risk
- Have one clear entry point – this gives you more control about who and what comes onto farm.
- Biosecurity signage is key – this reminds visitors that they are entering your farm 'bubble' and lets then know what you expect.
- A sign-in form for visitors – this provides a record of who has come and when they arrived, download this sign-in form template. Ensure visitors sign out when they leave.
- Overseas visitors - anyone who was in any country that has foot-and-mouth disease should stay away from susceptible animals in New Zealand for one week.
Cleaning and disinfection
A cleaning and disinfection point is vital to prevent the spread of diseases and weeds. All visitors should clean and disinfect their boots and hand sanitiser or hand wash facilities are good to have as well.
When washing boots, ensure that all the visible dirt and muck is removed, and pay special attention to the soles. Disinfectant doesn’t work on dirty boots. Spray a generous amount of disinfectant around the bottom and soles of the boots. It’s a good idea for visitors to clean and disinfect their boots again when they leave.
How to clean and disinfect footwear on farm
Biosecurity policies and procedures
A farm policy of having animals in the yards for vet visits (if possible), and machinery close to the visitor arrival area for routine maintenance visits, to reduce the need for these visitors to go on farm into paddocks.
A farm procedure for where visitors can go should be well communicated with farm staff and include the following points:
- Do visitors need to be accompanied by a staff member?
- Are non-farm vehicles allowed on farm races, and if so, does this apply only to certain types of vehicles or to certain access ways on farm? For example, you may allow a Transpower contractor access to pylons in their vehicle but only via a designated route across the farm.
- What activities are allowed to happen on farm, and is there any specific location for these? For example, the location of beehives, pest control activities.
- Have you mapped risk zones on farm and do you have rules about who can go where? For example, no visitors in calf pens.
Biosecurity zones on farm
Reduce the risk of exposure to pests, weeds and disease. Use the red, orange, green system to map out zones on your farm.
General rules for the red, orange, green zones:
| Red | No go areas for visitors, tankers, livestock trucks (i.e paddocks and heifer rearing sheds). Red zones can only be entered after carrying out visitor biosecurity requirements. |
| Orange | Areas that have a mix of cows, farm staff, visitors and equipment (i.e. the milking shed and bobby calf sheds) |
| Green | Areas that have unrestricted access to visitors, their vehicles, tankers and livestock trucks but restricted access by cows (i.e. the milk tanker track, access tracks to houses on farm, bobby calf and slink pick up points). |
Here are some examples to show you how to zone your farm.
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