Better biosecurity needed at assembly yards

Jan 11, 2016

Manitoba Pork says producers need to be more careful of biosecurity at assembly yards. According to the organization, not enough producers are following the basic steps to avoid bringing diseases back to their farms.

Manager of quality assurance and animal care programs Mark Fynn says the biggest misstep producers make is not covering or changing boots when getting out of trucks at assembly yards.

"The issue with that is, when they step on the ground there, whatever could be on the ground, including livestock or swine diseases, could be brought into the trailer... or truck cab when they leave the site," he says. "Becoming complacent around that can allow the disease to spread through stuff like the truck cab, and if you're unaware, you might go straight from that truck cab into the barn at some other time and potentially bring swine disease in with you."

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