Animal Health & Welfare

Biosecurity means taking steps to make sure that good hygiene practices are in place. It is a vital part of keeping new diseases away from animals. It also helps to improve farm efficiency, protect neighbouring farms and the countryside.

Disease spread within and between herds and flocks can be reduced by the application of simple, common sense quarantine rules as part of a farm biosecurity policy. Additionally, a written health and welfare programme should be prepared for each holding.

There are a few simple messages concerning biosecurity:

• Disease may not always be apparent, especially in the early stages 
• Be clean, particularly if handling animals or moving between different premises
• A good biosecurity routine is ALWAYS essential - not just when there is a major disease outbreak

The tabs below provide information on the main routes by which infection is likely to be introduced onto a farm and more comprehensive suggestions on how to prevent this.  The tabs also take you to examples of a biosecurity risk assessment carried out for an SAC farm.

SAC has produced several technical notes on the prevention of animal diseases and biosecurity (see the links to the right).

Guidance from Defra is available in two pdf documents which can be found on the right. Also on the right is a link to the Scottish Government biosecurity codes of recommendations.