1
|
Ferreira JS, Baccili CC, Nemoto BS, Vieira FK, Sviercoski LM, Ienk T, Pagno JT, Gomes V. Biosecurity practices in the dairy farms of southern Brazil. Front Vet Sci 2024; 11:1326688. [PMID: 38601907 PMCID: PMC11004291 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1326688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Biosecurity refers to a set of practices that prevents and/or controls the introduction, spread, and elimination of harmful biological agents in a production system. In this study, we aimed to survey the biosecurity practices and determine their correlation with the size of production systems. A biosecurity assessment form was provided to 69 farms in the Campos Gerais region of Paraná, Brazil. The questionnaire was divided into two sections: general and bovine viral diarrhea virus- and bovine herpesvirus type-1-specific sections. The general section covered topics on traffic control, quarantine and animal isolation, hygiene practices, carcass disposal, and disease monitoring/control. The specific section consisted of questions on the reproductive and respiratory factors, use of antimicrobials, and vaccination schedule. The 69 farms were also classified into small (≤ 61), medium (62-201), and large (≥ 202) size farms based on the number of lactating cows. Moreover, multiple correspondence analysis (MCA) was performed between the biosecurity measures and farm size. The main risk factors and variability were related to the traffic control of people, animals, and vehicles/equipment, animal quarantine/isolation, and hygiene practices. MCA revealed that the small farms exhibited a lack of biosecurity measures, including those related to traffic control, animal quarantine, and hygiene. In medium-size farms, contact between bovine animals of different ages and difficulty in animal isolation in the quarantine system were among the main risk factors. In contrast, isolation of sick animals was easy, but the need to frequently purchase cattle was an important risk factor in large farms. These results highlight the relationship between biosecurity measures and farm size, providing valuable insights for the development of better biosecurity plans for production systems.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janaína Santos Ferreira
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Camila Costa Baccili
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Beatriz S. Nemoto
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Tanaane Ienk
- Frísia Cooperative Agroindustrial, Carambeí, Paraná, Brazil
| | | | - Viviani Gomes
- Department of Internal Medicine, School of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Duarte F, Allepuz A, Casal J, Armengol R, Mateu E, Castellà J, Heras J, Ciaravino G. Characterization of biosecurity practices among cattle transport drivers in Spain. Prev Vet Med 2024; 224:106138. [PMID: 38341944 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2024.106138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/28/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
Transmission of pathogens between farms via animal transport vehicles is a potential concern; however, the available information on driver routines and biosecurity measures implemented during transport is limited. Given the above, the aim of this study was to describe and characterize the prevailing practices and biosecurity measures adopted by cattle transport drivers in Spain. Eighty-two drivers were surveyed via face-to-face or remotely. The survey included questions on general characteristics of the drivers (type of journeys and vehicles) together with biosecurity practices implemented during cattle transport and vehicle hygiene practices. Results showed that several risky practices are performed quite frequently such as visiting different premises with different levels of risk (e.g., breeder and fattening farms); entering the farm premises to load/unload animals, passing by several farms to load and unload animals, or not always cleaning and disinfecting the vehicle between travels, among others. To explore similarities among the drivers and identify groups sharing specific practices, hierarchical clustering on principal components (HCPC) was computed on the results of multiple correspondence analysis (MCA). The first three MCA dimensions (out of 13) were retained in the agglomerative clustering and four different clusters were identified. Clusters 1 and Cluster 4 accounted for 39.5% and 29.6% of respondents, respectively. The clusters were mainly differentiated by practices in the loading/unloading of cattle, such as the frequency of contact with animals remaining on the farm, and the frequency of the vehicle's disinfection between farms. Cluster 2 and Cluster 3 were of similar size, about 15% of respondents each. Cluster 2 consisted of drivers who mainly made journeys to slaughterhouse, while drivers in Cluster 3 were characterised by the use of working clothes and boots. Based on these findings, it is advisable to increase awareness on the role that animal transport can have in the spread of pathogens between cattle farms and the importance of biosecurity in preventing such transmission. There is also a need to support animal transport professionals in such task, not only through the development of initiatives to increase awareness, but also through the investment in improving cleaning and disinfection facilities and to consider the economic cost associated with some practices to not compromise the economic viability of the sector.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Duarte
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Alberto Allepuz
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Casal
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ramon Armengol
- Department of Animal Science, Universitat de Lleida, Lleida 25002, Spain
| | - Enric Mateu
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joaquim Castellà
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Heras
- Dairy professionals - Vether Girona S.L. Girona, 17843, Spain
| | - Giovanna Ciaravino
- Departament de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), 08193 Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Control programs for infectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR) in European countries: an overview. Anim Health Res Rev 2022; 22:136-146. [DOI: 10.1017/s1466252321000116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
AbstractInfectious bovine rhinotracheitis (IBR), caused by Bovine alphaherpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1), is a disease of cattle responsible for significant economic losses worldwide. IBR is under certain communitarian regulations. Every member state can approve its own national IBR control program for the entire territory – or part of it – and can demand additional guarantees for bovids destined to its territory; therefore, every member state can be officially declared as entirely or partly IBR-free. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of IBR control and eradication programs in European countries. BoHV-1 control schemes were first introduced in the late 1970s, mainly in Northern and Central Europe. Depending on the seroprevalence rate, control strategies rely on identification and removal of seropositive animals or the use of glycoprotein E (gE)-deleted marker vaccines in infected herds. The implementation of a novel law for disease eradication at the EU level and of a European IBR data flow could make the goal of IBR eradication in all European countries easier to achieve.
Collapse
|
4
|
Villaamil FJ, Yus E, Benavides B, Allepuz A, Moya SJ, Casal J, Ortega C, Diéguez FJ. Factors Associated with the Introduction of Mycobacterium avium spp. Paratuberculosis (MAP) into Dairy Herds in Galicia (North-West Spain): The Perception of Experts. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11010166. [PMID: 33445689 PMCID: PMC7828141 DOI: 10.3390/ani11010166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Paratuberculosis remains one of the most important diseases of cattle worldwide. Control of disease is difficult and offers important challenges at both diagnostic and management levels. This paper describes a study aimed at quantification of expert opinion on risk factors for paratuberculosis infection in dairy herds in Spain. For this purpose, a panel of nine experts working in the field of paratuberculosis was selected. Risk factors were also included into a questionnaire that was responded to by 93 farms whose sanitary status was known. The most important risk factors for the introduction of MAP, according to expert opinions, were related to purchase and grazing practices. The scores obtained for each farm, based on the expert opinions, allowed MAP positive/MAP negative farms to be discriminated with 68.8% sensitivity and 68.7% specificity. Despite increased awareness of the disease and the fact that several countries are implementing control programs, there is still incomplete understanding of the epidemiology of the disease. This, together with the lack of completely reliable diagnostic methods, makes it of vital importance considering the inter-herd transmission factors in order to prevent the introduction of the disease. Prioritizing the most important factors should be useful for focusing future training initiatives and improving risk-reduction strategies in this economically important industry. Abstract This study aimed at quantifying expert opinions on the risk factors involved in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) infection in dairy cattle herds. For this purpose, potential risk factors associated with the introduction of MAP into dairies were chosen based on a literature review and discussions with researchers and veterinarians. For each factor, a decision tree was developed, and key questions were included in each. Answers to these key questions led to different events within each decision tree. An expert opinion workshop was organized (following the recommendations of the OIE), and ordinal values ranging from 0 to 9 (i.e., a null to very high likelihood of infection) were assigned to each event. The potential risk factors were also incorporated into a structured questionnaire that was responded to by 93 farms where the sanitary status against MAP was known. Thereby, based on the values given by the experts and the information collected in the questionnaires, each farm was assigned a score based on their MAP entry risk. From these scores (contrast variable) and using a ROC curve, the cut-off that best discriminated MAP-positive and -negative farms was estimated. The most important risk factors for the introduction of MAP, according to expert opinions, involved purchase and grazing practices related to animals under six months of age. The scores obtained for each farm, also based on the expert opinions, allowed MAP positive/MAP negative farms to be discriminated with 68.8% sensitivity and 68.7% specificity. These data should be useful for focusing future training initiatives and improving risk-reduction strategies in the dairy industry.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Eduardo Yus
- Institute of Food Analysis and Research, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002 Lugo, Spain;
| | - Bibiana Benavides
- Animal Health Department, Universidad de Nariño, San Juan de Pasto 52001, Colombia;
| | - Alberto Allepuz
- Department of Health and Animal Anatomy, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (A.A.); (S.J.M.); (J.C.)
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB, IRTA, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sebastián Jesús Moya
- Department of Health and Animal Anatomy, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (A.A.); (S.J.M.); (J.C.)
| | - Jordi Casal
- Department of Health and Animal Anatomy, Autonomous University of Barcelona, 08193 Barcelona, Spain; (A.A.); (S.J.M.); (J.C.)
- Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), UAB, IRTA, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmelo Ortega
- Animal Pathology Department, Veterinary Faculty, Zaragoza University, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain;
| | - Francisco Javier Diéguez
- Anatomy, Animal Production and Clinical Veterinary Sciences Department, Veterinary Faculty, Santiago de Compostela University, 27002 Lugo, Spain
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +34-9828-22400
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Benavides B, Casal J, Diéguez J, Yus E, Moya SJ, Allepuz A. Quantitative risk assessment of introduction of BVDV and BoHV-1 through indirect contacts based on implemented biosecurity measures in dairy farms of Spain. Prev Vet Med 2021; 188:105263. [PMID: 33453562 DOI: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2021.105263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2020] [Revised: 12/29/2020] [Accepted: 01/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
A stochastic quantitative risk assessment model was developed to estimate the annual probability of introduction of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) and bovine herpesvirus 1 (BoHV-1) on 127 dairy farms through indirect contacts. Vehicles transporting calves, cattle to slaughterhouse, dead animals, and mixture of feed, as well as visits by veterinarians and hoof trimmers, farm workers and contacts with neighbors were considered in the model. Data from biosecurity questionnaires of each farm, scientific literature and expert opinion from field veterinarians, animal vehicle drivers, hoof trimmers and personnel from rendering transport companies were used to estimate values for input parameters. Results showed that the annual probability of introducing BVDV or BoHV-1 through indirect contacts was very heterogeneous. The overall distribution of median values for each farm ranged from 0.5 to 14.6% and from 1.0 to 24.9% for BVDV and BoHV-1, respectively. The model identified that providing protective clothing and boots to visits, not allowing the animal vehicle driver to come into contact with animals present on the farm and ensuring that calf vehicles arrived empty, were the measures with the highest impact on the probability of infection for most farms. This model could be a useful tool to show the impact of the measures to farmers and veterinarians, thus increasing their awareness on biosecurity. In addition, it could support decision making on which measures should be prioritized in dairy cattle herds to reduce the probability of introduction of diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- B Benavides
- Department de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain; Department of Animal Health, Universidad de Nariño, Pasto, Colombia
| | - J Casal
- Department de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain; Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Spain
| | - J Diéguez
- Department of Anatomy and Animal Production, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Lugo, Spain
| | - E Yus
- Department of Animal Pathology, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC), Lugo, Spain
| | - S J Moya
- Department de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Allepuz
- Department de Sanitat i Anatomia Animals, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB), Barcelona, Spain; Centre de Recerca en Sanitat Animal (CReSA), Institut de Recerca i Tecnologia Agroalimentàries (IRTA), Spain.
| |
Collapse
|