This three-part blog series is inspired by insights from Amy Davies, Biosecurity Advisor at Livetec Systems, who recently led a powerful masterclass during the From Fatigue to Fortitude – Tackling Biosecurity Challenges webinar. The session focused on the realities of biosecurity on the ground, why it fails, how it succeeds, and what farmers can do to build resilience. In this first part, we explore the foundations of biosecurity and why it’s critical to prevent disease on your farm.
At Livetec, biosecurity isn’t just a priority, it’s our passion. As Amy puts it, “If you don’t let disease in, you don’t have to control it.” That principle has shaped our entire approach to livestock protection.
Unfortunately, disease outbreaks across livestock sectors show that many farms still struggle to implement effective biosecurity. In fact, Livetec’s own growth has been driven in part by responding to crises where biosecurity has failed, avian influenza, salmonella, blackhead, and more.
While our work began in poultry, we now collaborate with the pig sector and beyond. The key takeaway: the principles of biosecurity are universal. Whether you farm birds, pigs, or cattle, the goal remains the same: keep disease out.
The High Cost of Complacency
Amy’s masterclass posed a compelling question: If we all made biosecurity a priority every day, would we still need to cull? From her experience on the front lines of avian influenza culling, she’s seen first hand how devastating outbreaks can be not just financially, but emotionally and mentally for farmers and their teams.
Even with birds housed and no direct contact with wild populations, disease continues to penetrate farm defences. The culprit? Biosecurity fatigue.
During periods of low disease threat, it’s easy to let standards slip, skipping boot dips, ignoring barriers, or neglecting quarantine protocols. But when environmental disease pressure rises, those lapses can be catastrophic.
Biosecurity 365: A Culture, not a Checklist
Biosecurity isn’t just about high-risk seasons, it’s a daily commitment. Amy calls this mindset Biosecurity 365. That means:
– Integrating biosecurity into your daily routine
– Staying alert even when risks appear low
– Training staff to treat biosecurity as second nature
It’s not about fear; it’s about habit. As Amy shared, “Biosecurity should be as natural as breathing.”
Structural vs Procedural Biosecurity
Farms often focus on visible measures gates, foot dips, and disinfection stations. But these structural elements are only half the battle.
The other half is procedural how people interact with those structures. That’s where breakdowns usually occur. For example:
– Forgetting to disinfect boots in poor weather
– Buying stock from high-risk areas
– Rushing routines during quieter disease periods
Success lies in marrying strong infrastructure with consistent, thoughtful behaviour.
Keeping it simple
If a biosecurity process is difficult or time-consuming, it won’t be followed. Amy’s advice? Make the right thing the easiest thing. Design systems that are intuitive, not cumbersome. Sometimes, an outside perspective can reveal simple improvements that make a big difference.
In the next post, we’ll dive deeper into behavioural biosecurity and the small changes in mindset that lead to lasting improvements. Stay tuned for more from the Livetec masterclass series.
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