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Veterinarian urges dairies to review biosecurity efforts

A research veterinarian says there are biosecurity steps dairy farmers should take to keep diseases like avian influenza off the farm.

Dr. Keith Poulsen with the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory says the guideline for testing up to thirty lactating cows before bringing them onto the farm might not be enough to keep H5N1 off the farm. “Test all lactating animals before they come on your farm, not just up to thirty. I would test every single lactating animal that’s there. There’s federal dollars to do that.”

Poulsen says farms should also have a line of separation to limit the ability of visitors to access cows. “Making sure that you know who’s coming on and off farms and you’re requiring sanitizable boots and washing hands and clean clothes coming onto the farm. That’s easier said than done, and if a vendor that comes on the farm doesn’t have rubber boots you can sanitize, give them boot covers.”

Poulsen says eliminating non-essential traffic improves farm biosecurity. “Does Amazon really need to drop off whatever you need for the farm? Can it go to the home office or the house instead of the parlor? I think if dairies could do that, they would be ahead of the game.”

Poulsen says most biosecurity steps are simple, but the challenge comes with people adjusting to the change in routine.  He says it’s better to make the changes now than to be forced to adjust after disease has reached the farm.