Findings will be used to develop free educational resources to help assess and improve current biosecurity practices
While it is well understood by dairy farmers that biosecurity protocols are essential to preventing herd health compromises, forming an effective plan and putting it into practice is not always straightforward, says Progiene dairy hygiene specialist Alison Clark.
To better understand typical biosecurity protocols currently being practiced on UK dairy farms, Progiene is launching the UK Dairy Biosecurity Survey. Findings will be used to develop free educational resources for farmers to help them assess and improve their current biosecurity practices.
“A variation of farm visitors, lack of training, managing staff and being short on time are common challenges many UK dairy farms face when implementing a biosecurity plan. And while it may not seem like a big deal, cross-contamination of mucus and faecal matter significantly increases the risk of diseases like TB and Johne’s,” says Ms Clark. “With the right training, farms can design an effective biosecurity plan that is simple and practical to implement.”
The short survey will take a few minutes to complete and will be open until December 18. Farmers that complete the survey in full will be entered into a free prize draw to win a Fortnum & Mason Christmas Pantry Hamper that is worth £125. To take part, visit surveymonkey.co.uk/r/dairybiosecurity
