Biosecurity is one of the most important – yet often overlooked – parts of raising healthy livestock. It refers to the set of management practices designed to prevent the introduction and spread of infectious diseases. Whether you raise a few animals on a small homestead or manage a large-scale operation, a strong biosecurity plan protects animal health and welfare, safeguards productivity and profitability, and helps prevent the spread of diseases between farms and even to humans. 

At its core, biosecurity is about controlling risk – reducing the chances of disease entering your farm and stopping it from spreading once inside. 

Two Sides of Biosecurity

External Biosecurity

External biosecurity focuses on keeping diseases off your farm in the first place. This includes managing all the potential ways pathogens could enter your operation – through people, vehicles equipment, or new animals. 

Examples include:

• Setting strict visitor and vehicle entry protocols
• Cleaning and disinfecting all equipment and borrowed tools
• Quarantining new or returning animals before introducing them to the herd or flock

Internal Biosecurity

Internal biosecurity focuses on containing disease and preventing it from spreading within your farm. Even small lapses – like wearing the same bots between animal groups – can move pathogens from one area to another. 

Examples include:

• Wearing separate clothing and footwear for different animal areas
• Maintaining clean pens and equipment
• Isolating and caring for sick animals separately

Most internal transmission occurs when older animals pass pathogens to younger or more vulnerable ones, making cleanliness and order critical. 

Why Biosecurity Matters

Healthy Animals

A clean, well-managed operation is a healthy one. Reducing exposure to disease means stronger animals, better performance, and fewer losses. 

Continuity of Business

During regional or national disease outbreaks, farms with established biosecurity plans are better positioned to remain operational. A clear plan can even help you obtain movement permits when restrictions are in place. 

Food Safety

Every farm that produces meat, milk, or eggs contributes to the food chain, Strong biosecurity practices help ensure that food remains safe and free from harmful pathogens. 

Building a Biosecurity Plan

Your first step is defining your goals. Ask yourself: 

• Is there a specific disease you’re trying to prevent or control?
• Are you protecting a healthy herd or managing an ongoing issue?

Once your objectives are clear, write them down. A written biosecurity plan helps maintain consistency and accountability – and gives you a way to measure success. 

The Basics of Farm Biosecurity

1. Employee and Family Training

Everyone who interacts with your animals – from staff to family – should understand and follow clean entry and handling protocols. 

This might include:

• “Shower in, shower out” procedures for certain facilities
• Changing into clean outerwear before entering livestock areas
• Wearing disposable boot covers or dedicated footwear

2. Herd or Flock Protection

Farm Access:

Limit entry points to your property and post clear biosecurity signage. Create designated parking areas away from animal zones. 

Health Monitoring:

Train caretakers to recognize early signs of illness and record all treatments. Work from healthiest to sickest animals – and isolate those showing signs of disease immediately.

3. Vehicles and Equipment

Shared equipment can easily spread disease. Clean and disinfect borrowed or multi-use tools before bringing them onto your property. For outside vehicles, establish entry protocols such as wash stations or disinfectant mats. 

4. Personnel

Only allow individuals in livestock areas who are clean and free of recent animal contact elsewhere. Provide handwashing stations and clean protective gear. 

5. Animal Products

Identify and record all animal movements on and off your farm. Buy only from reputable sources that follow sound biosecurity practices. Quarantine all new animals for 21-30 days before introducing them to the herd or flock. 

6. Animal Products

Track all semen, embryo, milk or colostrum moved on or off your property. Only purchase reproductive materials from trusted operations that maintain high biosecurity standards. 

7. Carcass Disposal 

Follow approved carcass disposal methods that deter wildlife, rodents, and scavengers. Proper disposal helps eliminate another potential source of infection. 

8. Manure Management 

Regularly remove and properly store manure to limit pathogen exposure – especially for young animals. Clean housing prevents buildup and bacterial spread. 

9. Vector Control

Control pests by using bait and monitoring systems for rodents and insects. Keep feed areas and prevent birds from nesting inside barns. 

10. Feed and Water

Feed and water sources are common disease carriers. Clean waterers frequently and remove spilled feed that attracts pests or wildlife. 

How Diseases Spread

Diseases can enter your farm in more ways than you might expect:

• Wildlife or stray animals wandering into livestock areas
• Contaminated feed, water or supplies
• Vehicles and equipment used at multiple farms
• Human contact, such as visitors or neighbors with livestock
• Improper waste disposal or manure buildup
• New additions introduced without health checks or quarantine

Recognizing these risks is the first step in breaking the cycle of transmission. 

Benefits of Biosecurity for Livestock Operations

• Protects animal health: Less disease means lower medical costs and fewer antibiotics. 
• Economic stability: Preventing outbreaks avoids major losses and keeps production consistent. 
• Regulatory compliance: Meets local and national livestock health standards.
• Public health protection: Reduces the risk of zoonotic diseases that can affect humans. 

Mastering Livestock Biosecurity: The Three Core Principles 

1. Isolation – Your First Line of Defense

Keep new, sick, or exposed animals separate from the main herd. Designate a quarantine area for new arrivals and a separate sick bay for animals showing signs of illness. These zones act as “checkpoints” to protect your entire operation. 

2. Traffic Control – Managing Movement

Every visitor, vehicle, and piece of equipment has the potential to carry disease. Implement entry protocols like: 

• Disinfecting stations for boots and tires
• Visitor logs and restricted access zones
• Clearly marked animal areas

Good traffic control keeps external threats outside your operation’s borders. 

3. Sanitation – The Foundation of Health 

Pathogens thrive in dirty conditions. Regular cleaning, proper manure management, and clean drinking water prevent disease and promote long-term herd health. Consider modern treatment methods, such as advanced oxidation processes (AOP), to reduce pathogens before they ever reach your animals. 

A Healthy Farm Starts with a Healthy Plan

Biosecurity isn’t just for large operations – it’s for anyone who values their animals, their livelihood, and the people who rely on what they produce. By putting proactive measures in place today, you protect tomorrow’s herd and ensure the sustainability of your operation for years to come.