Dress for biosecurity

When traveling from one farm to another, it’s important for livestock producers and farm visitors to think about the health and safety of farm animals. Bacteria and viruses that cause infectious diseases can hitch a ride on your boots, car tires, and your hands. Biosecurity that includes disposable outer-clothing helps reduce the spread of disease from one farm to another.

Kevin Heitland is a sales manager with Agri-Pro Enterprises of Iowa. He says the two most important items are coveralls and foot protection. Put on a fresh layer every time you walk into an animal facility. 

"Just to avoid any type of chance of any kind of disease transfer from one building to the next," says Heitland. "It’s even important to wear foot protection between one building to the next and then dispose of it before you go all the way in your entry points, or, even getting into your vehicle. You know, get into your vehicle and drive to the next farm."

Always have your protective garments on hand and easily accessible. Also consider outfitting the people who visit your farm on a regular basis.

"You should even have foot protection in your vehicle when you’re traveling from site-to-site so you can put them on. Feed truck drivers, they should have them so they can put a new pair on when they come onto your farm with a load of feed," he says. "And, there should be a place for them to dispose of them there on the farm, so they don’t have to take them back in the truck and transfer it that way, as well."

Once disposable coverups are worn, they can be incinerated or tossed in the trash.