Reducing the risk of introduction and spreading of animal diseases

Biosecurity is the combination of all measures that are taken to reduce the risk of introducing and spreading of diseases in a herd, at farm level, at regional level and national level. Improved biosecurity is a crucial element to ensuring sustainability and competitiveness in the long term. On 22 - 23 January 2015 an EIP-AGRI workshop was held in Brussels which aimed to contribute to innovation in on-farm biosecurity within production systems related to cattle, pigs and poultry.

The workshop began with a quick survey of the current biosecurity situation looking at these three production sectors. In the workshop itself, about 80 participants from all over Europe tried to identify high potential measures looking at the current level of implementation, the expected efficacy and expected rate of return of measures taken. Drivers and obstacles for innovation were identified leading to recommendations for knowledge exchange and research needs.

Based on the input and discussions during the workshop, the following conclusions can be drawn:

• There is little doubt about the importance of biosecurity. However, differences exist between its application in pig, poultry and cattle production.
• All participants and sectors were confident about the positive effects of taking biosecurity measures.
• Involving farmers remains a challenge. Some good examples of collective initiatives were shown.
• Several topics for knowledge exchange and research needs were formulated, to stimulate innovation.

It is interesting to know that the final report:

• explains the difference between internal and external biosecurity, including ways to implement.
• offers a quick scan on biosecurity measures in Europe, based on the participants’ input.
• provides a number of high potential measures which the participants identified for poultry, cattle and pigs.
• includes a brief summary of the three cases on joint initiatives for improving biosecurity that were presented.
• shows the five main drivers and four main obstacles for implementing biosecurity, identified by the participants,  together with a list of actions to help increase the level of implementation.
• provides an overview of research needs and of needs on knowledge exchange and demonstration and research needs.
• offers a list of possible follow-up actions, using EIP-AGRI tools.

The report describes both the outcome of the workshop and some further analysis of its outcome. A list of follow-up actions to stimulate the EIP-AGRI network is included as well.

Download the final report

More information ont the EIP-AGRI workshop webpage