A Bio-security prevents the spread of disease by minimising the movement of biologic organisms and their vectors (viruses, bacteria, rodents, flies) onto and within your operation through animals, vehicles, visitors, personnel, pests, and other means.
Observing strict bio-security practices minimises the introduction and spread of diseases on farms.
Bio-security controls transmission of disease-causing agents.
A vehicle wheel bath or a footbath, containing a disinfectant like jik or jireh, is very bio-security measure that helps prevent the potential spread of disease.
Organisms have the potential to survive for several days or weeks in the dirt stuck to wheels of vehicles or the bottom of shoes.
Vehicle wheel baths or footbaths can eliminate these organisms.
Depending on the amount of traffic on your farm, it may be necessary to have more than one footbath.
It is important to provide cleaning materials such as brushes at every footbath; and ensure that they are not shared between footbaths.
There are several recommended disinfectants for use in footbaths. Make sure to maintain a “clean” footbath.
Footbaths should be changed and cleaned periodically. How often you clean your footbath depends on how much foot traffic you have on your farm.
On average, footbaths require weekly cleaning. The empty container and mat should be scrubbed with a brush and rinsed thoroughly.
Next, add fresh disinfectant and place the mat back into the container.
Do not empty the footbath in an area where the footbath is used so that a dry area around the footbath can be maintained.
Do not forget to post guidelines near footbaths instructing users how to correctly wash footwear.
