To prevent disease entry onto farm

Directly From Added Animals or Neighbouring Animals

• Operate a closed herd.
• Quarantine added animals (animals that are brought in, either purchased or borrowed) from existing animals on the farm for 2 - 4 weeks and monitor the health of added animals.
• Identify infected animals by testing new additions before introducing them to the rest of the herd.
• Stock proof boundaries.
• Avoid grazing field at the same time as neighbouring fields also occupied with livestock.
• Double spaced boundary fencing with a gap of at least 5m.

Indirectly From Visitors

• Keep visitors to a minimum.
• Have one entry point.
• Reduce direct contact between visitors and stock.
• Provide visitors with PPE.
• Provide cleaning facilities for visitors.
• Encourage visitors to clean and disinfect footwear on arrival.

Indirectly From Slurry

• Avoid importing slurry where possible. If you have to import slurry enquire about the farms' disease status.
• Where possible, restrict slurry spreading to farm-owned machinery.
• Trailing shoe slurry spreaders will minimise disease risk from aerosols.
• If using imported biological waste spread on tillage or silage ground in preference to grazing land.
• Discuss with your own veterinary practitioner or your DVO the option of treating slurry with lime to reduce certain disease threats.

Indirectly From Animal Equipment

• Provide your own animal equipment and don't lend it out.
• Use disposable equipment where possible.
• Wash and disinfect non-disposable equipment.
• Avoid sharing a crush, race or loading pen with neighbours. If unavoidable, disinfect facilities after use.
• Have a vehicle bath containing an approved disinfectant at the correct dilution at the entrance of the farm.

Indirectly From Wildlife and Other Animals

• Operate a vermin / rodent control program.
  - Maintain bait at appropriate protected sites
  - Make sure all bait points are clearly identified and fixed to a wall or the ground.
  - All bait points should be dog-proof and child-proof.
• Reduce access to feed and animal wastes
  - Provide netting or flaps to reduce bird access to feed.
  - Provide a closed shed for stored feed.
  - Clean up feed spillages.
• Maintain wildlife-proof farm boundaries
  - Appropriate fencing is required where significant wildlife populations exist. For example, badger-proof fencing (buried at least 0.6m) and deer-proof fencing (at least 2.5m high).

Indirectly From Biological Material

• Do not 'borrow' and feed colostrum or whole milk from a neighbouring farm.
• Purchase semen and embryos from reputable suppliers.
• Ensure your veterinary practitioner uses new syringes and needles when coming onto farm.
• Only use licenced medicines.
• Always purchase approved medicines from licensed suppliers.

Indirectly From the Environment

• Fence off waterways and lakes on the farm.
• Prevent stock access to land which is flooded.
• Don't use shared handling facilities or housing.

See AHI and Teagasc published guides for detailed information on how to prevent disease entry onto your farm.