October 16, 2017

Merck training module focuses on biosecurity for dairy

Merck Animal Health announced in early October the launch of its updated Dairy Care 365 training module on biosecurity, which will introduce "bioawareism" - an emphasis on biocontainment and sanitation on farms, particularly dairies.

The module will explore how these issues can help improve animal health and food safety, while also presenting best practices and elaborate instructions to fashion a biosecurity plan.

In addition, a template for biosecurity standard operating procedures will be made available.

The programme is the first of two-part series led by biosecurity expert Dr. Danelle Bickett-Weddle of Iowa State University. The associate director of the Center for Food Security and Public Health (Iowa State University College of Veterinary Medicine) has created biosecurity assessments for cattle operations and veterinary practices of all sizes both in the US and overseas.

According to Mike Bolton, technical services manager of Merck Animal Health, raising and maintaining healthy animals is a paramount goal shared by dairy producers who seek to mitigate disease risk.

"We prioritised biosecurity as the next Dairy Care 365 module because of its potential to positively and significantly impact animal health and well-being, as well as the financial costs and handler burdens associated with fighting disease outbreaks," Bolton explained. "While no farm is exempt from disease pressure, there are steps we can implement to reduce the risk of a devastating epidemic."

Dr. Bickett-Weddle said the module will aid producers and veterinarians to uncover possible threats to cattle health and execute specific biosecurity practices for their dairy.

"These are small steps that can add up to a significant decrease in the risk of introducing and spreading cattle disease in their herds," she added.

One crucial aspect of the module looks into the implementation of an assessment of operation to find potential biosecurity hazards, their impact and likelihood of introduction.

From the assessment, behavioral factors are introduced, including crafting expectations for animal handlers, determining vehicle access points and establishing best places for cattle loading to cut down exposure to diseases.

Furthermore, the module explores key processes and record keeping to help maintain critical information, such as the identification of new and returning animals, pregnancy status, and vaccination and treatment history.

The training will be conducted in a 25-minute video and delivered in English and Spanish. It will followed by a short quiz prior to the awarding of a certification of completion.

Other Dairy Care 365 training modules are also available - these include Newborn Care and Handling, Calf Handling and Stockmanship, Introduction to Dairy Stockmanship, Low-Stress Handling of Dairy Calves and Heifers, Moving Cows to the Parlor, and Handling Non-Ambulatory Cows and Euthanasia.