4 tips to get staff to buy into farm biosecurity protocols

Only 31% of farmers follow biosecurity protocols, according to a survey of 100 UK dairy farmers by hygiene specialist Progiene.

The biggest reason biosecurity protocols were broken was lack of time, with 54% of respondents citing this as the main reason. A further 41% attributed it to a lack of understanding by staff.

Biosecurity is fundamental in helping to prevent the spread of disease and improve herd health and profitability, says veterinary consultant Tommy Heffernan.

See also: A guide to setting up a bovine TB isolation unit

“As our herds get larger, biosecurity is a bigger challenge on a lot of farms. But we can see a really good return when we look at the costs of some common diseases,” he explains.

Below, Dr Heffernan advises how dairy managers can get their staff to successfully adopt biosecurity protocols.

1. Carry out a farm audit

The first step is to carry out an audit, ideally alongside a vet, to provide “a helicopter view” of the farm and identify bottlenecks.

Each farm will have different challenges, but the review should cover these main areas:

• Disease monitoring
• Disease records
• Staff training
• Biosecurity response plan
• Bio-exclusion (external sources) such as boundaries, feed and slurry management, visitors, vehicles and foot-dip protocols, wildlife, and quarantine procedures
• Biocontainment (inside the herd) such as disease eradication strategies, sick animal management, housing and hygiene practices, internal disease risks and water quality and manure management.

It can be useful to code these green, yellow and red to identify areas that need immediate attention, what is already being done well and issues that can be worked on in the not-too-distant future.

Get the whole team involved and be honest about weaknesses. Concentrate on doing one or two things at a time so you don’t get overwhelmed.

2. Help staff understand why and set clear goals

The purpose of each biosecurity protocol should be outlined to staff, so they understand why the rules are important to follow in the first place.

A good way to get staff to buy into biosecurity protocols is to assign a member a specific area to research, help form a protocol and present back to the team.

It is also important to set clear, measurable goals so protocols can be reviewed.

It is really powerful to make an emotional or visible connection with staff to make them better understand the importance of adhering to biosecurity protocols. For example, using glitter on wellies can help show farm staff how easily diseases spread.

In hospitals, messaging was most effective when NHS staff were asked to wash their hands to “prevent the spread of infection to patients” rather than just “wash their hands”.

3. Create literature with clear guidelines and procedures

Each protocol should include clear guidelines so everyone who steps foot on the farm knows exactly what is expected of them.

Again, concentrate on one or two areas that require the most attention. If you struggle with milk quality, spend time putting together some standard operating procedures for this. Talk these through with staff and put a poster on the wall where every milker can clearly see it to act as a reminder.  

Review protocols every three months to see how well they are working.

4. Hold team meetings

Farms are really busy places, so it is probably unrealistic to have team meetings on biosecurity every month. Instead, build them into the overall strategy.

Hold a weekly staff meeting to address key areas of focus for the week ahead and include an update on biosecurity. Ask what can be done better and how often boot dips have been changed.

These meetings are a good opportunity to recognise a member of staff who is doing something well, which helps build morale and a sense of pride.

Review biosecurity at least annually by revisiting your checklist.