From farm to table, livestock farmers play an important role in keeping our nation fed. But that mission is still in jeopardy.
This year, bird flu has ravaged — not just poultry farms — but also dairy farms across the country. The H5N1 virus has impacted over 100 million poultry in 48 states and has affected almost 400 dairy herds in at least 14 states (including animals that were killed, sickened, or culled).
So far, there have also been 38 humans confirmed with the virus who had direct contact with infected cattle or poultry, with an additional case in Missouri with an unknown source.
This has forced farmers and producers to take immediate action to prevent the spread and keep their animals, and their workers, healthy. Many of them are researching different management strategies and best prevention practices, so they can be proactive in mitigating the spread of the virus. Even if their livestock hasn’t been affected yet.
One of the potential culprits when it comes to between-farm bird flu transmission could be farm transportation vehicles. Recent research shows “about 20% of transmissions can be linked back to other vehicles, including feed vehicles.” Unfortunately, there aren’t many resources on proper vehicle sanitation and biosecurity.
For us, the mission is twofold: protecting the livestock and the health of the people who sustain our food supply chain. “Each step in the biosecurity wash process is designed to eliminate risks,” explains Keith Bailey, biosecurity expert at Hydro-Chem Systems. “It’s about safeguarding farms, but it’s also about protecting farmworkers and the people they interact with.”
In this blog, we’ll go over some strategies to slow the rapid spread of bird flu. This includes some tips to decrease disease transmission and vehicle cleaning techniques.
Reducing Disease Transmission Between Farms
The harsh reality of the spread of bird flu is that outbreaks are almost impossible to stop. But there are some important steps producers can take to minimize the damage it can cause. Vehicles traveling between farms can inadvertently carry pathogens through contaminated surfaces, tires, and equipment. To mitigate these risks:
- Limit farm access to essential vehicles and personnel only. Consider requiring a set amount of days a vehicle must wait after traveling to other potential vector locations.
- Insist that all vehicles entering or exiting the farm undergo thorough cleaning and disinfection.
- Ensure that everyone involved understands the importance of biosecurity measures and follows the established protocols.
Enhanced Vehicle Cleaning and Disinfection
Biosecurity wash systems are an effective solution for mitigating the spread of disease. To better protect your fleet, we highly recommend using an automated wash system. These systems provide a comprehensive wash that sanitizes every part of the vehicle, including the harder-to-reach undercarriage, reducing the chance of the virus spreading between farms and ultimately reaching farmworkers.
A full wash includes the option to use a 2-Step wash process before sanitizing the vehicle. This helps provide a thorough clean that ensures there is no debris on the vehicle before sanitizer is applied. It also helps reduce vehicle maintenance costs while still keeping the sanitizer as the final step. But overall, cleaning and disinfecting your farm vehicles is a multistep process:
- Pre-Cleaning: Remove all visible debris and organic matter from the vehicle's exterior and interior. Organic materials can protect microorganisms from disinfectants and prevent the sanitizer from fully saturating the surface.
- Washing: For a complete and thorough cleaning, we recommend the 2-step process to remove all dirt from the vehicle and trailer. This can be done using an automated wash system or a pressure washer.
- Disinfection: All vehicles should be completely covered with an EPA-approved sanitizer. Your wash facility layout should be planned so that vehicles move through a single entry point and out through a single exit point. This ensures that any person or vehicle that passes through is fully cleaned and sanitized before exiting.
Conclusion
By following the biosecurity practices outlined in this blog and other resources on our biosecurity page, farmers should be able to limit disease transmission between farms — and livestock. But it’s important to make sure you have the right equipment for the job. Ideally, you’re using a system that can handle hundreds of cycles a day in combination with an EPA approved sanitizer designed for biosecurity systems.
As the agricultural sector tackles new waves of avian influenza, biosecurity protocols must adapt and strengthen. Together, we can help to maintain a safe, sustainable, and healthy food supply.
