By Prof. Dr. Jeroen Dewulf, Ghent University

1. Biosecurity as a tool
towards reduced
antimicrobial consumption
Prof. Dr. Jeroen Dewulf
Jeroen.Dewulf@UGent.be
Ghent University
pag. 1

2. BIOSECURITY
=
The combination of all measures taken to reduce the risk of
introduction and spread of diseases on herd, region, country,… level
‘assessing risk and implementing measures to decrease that risk and
to safeguard and improve health status on a farm’
2
What is biosecurity

3. EXTERNAL BIOSECURITY
= Reduce introduction
- endemic diseases
- ”exotic” diseases
INTERNAL BIOSECURITY
= reduce spread
3
What is biosecurity

4. BIOSECURITY is (should be) the basis of any disease
control program
Why biosecurity
BIOSECURITY
curative
preventive
4

5. Why biosecurity
• Beter biosecurity less disease
• Beter production results
• growth
• feed conversion
• uniformity
• Less antimicrobial use
• Higher prices when selling the animals
5

6. Why biosecurity
• Beter biosecurity less disease
• Eradication programs ↑
• Free / Oblighed
• Risk of exotic diseases
• Public health, animal welfare, public opinion
(‘sustainable meat production’)
• Legislation
6

7. 7
Biosecurity = complex
• No protocol suitable for every herd
• Balance biosecurity – management
• Tool?
→ Scoring System

8. Scoring system and website
Pigs and Poultry

9. Biosecurity Scoring System
• Quantification of biosecurity status
• Comparing of scores between different herds
• Comparing of scores in time
• Taking different risks into account

10. Scoring System
• External and internal biosecurity
• 8 subcategories external
• 3 subcategories internal
• 2-13 questions per subcategory
• Questionnaire in Dutch, English

11. • Weighted scores
• Based on scientific research
• Risk for transmission: direct vs. indirect contact
• Weight factor for each subcategory and each
question
Scoring System

12. External Biosecurity (70)
Subcategory Weight
factor
Purchase of one day old chicks 8
Depopulation of broilers 11
Feed and water supply 8
Removal of manure and dead animals 7
Entrance of personnel and visitors 11
Supply of material 7
Infrastructure an and biological vectors 11
Location of the farm 7

13. Internal Biosecurity
Subcategory Weight
factor
Disease management 10
Cleaning and disinfection 13
Materials and measures between
houses
7

14. Biosecurity Score
• Score for external/internal biosecurity: from 0 to
100
• Overall biosecurity score
• Adapted to every type of pig unit
→ Weight factors for subcategories adapted

15. • Free online application: www.biocheck.ugent.be

20. Results external biosecurity
Subcategory average min max
Purchase of one day old chicks 73 37 90
Depopulation of broilers 65 51 78
Feed and water supply 48 37 69
Removal of manure and dead
animals
69 53 78
Entrance of personnel and
visitors
81 70 90
Supply of material 47 0 56
Infrastructure an and biological
vectors
84 68 94
Location of the farm 75 24 100

21. Results internal biosecurity
Subcategory average Min Max
Disease management 84 60 100
Cleaning and disinfection 71 49 78
Materials and measures
between houses
80 53 100

22. • Some categories are well known in practice (>75%)
• Entrance of visitors and personnel(80%)
• Infrastructure and biological vectors (78%)
• Disease management (82%)
Results

23. •There should be given more attention tosome categories
• Supply of materials (42%)
• Feed and water supply (46%)
• Purchase of one day old chicks (54%)
• Exports of live animals (55%)
Results

24. 24Poultry Science, 2014

25. • Counseling 13 broiler farms to improved
biosecurity and reduced AMU
Results
Before After Change
External biosecurity 64 69 +5
Internal biosecurity 73 77 +4
Mortality first week 1,08 1,27 +0,19%
Total mortality 3,54 3,05 -0,49%
Average daily weight gain 57 57 +0
Feed conversion 1,8 1,7 -0,1
Performance index 318 332 +14
Antimicrobial use (TI) 192 136 -29%

26. Discussion and conclusions
• Biosecurity = complex
• Scoring system → efficient tool to quantify the
biosecurity level of poultry farms.
• Elucidates strong and weak points of the poultry farm
• Helps to set priorities for improving and monitoring
biosecurity status.

27. Discussion and conclusions
•Biosecurity: the new hype or a valuable concept?
Similar research in the pig industry has proven that an
increased biosecurity level has led to:
• the reduction of antimicrobial use
• the improvement of production figures
Lower the costs
Improve profit
Benefit the sustainability

28. “An ounce of prevention,
is worth a pound of cure”
- Benjamin Franklin -

29. www.biocheck.ugent.be
pag. 29