In the livestock industry , the term biosecurity in livestock farming is used to describe a whole range of procedures employed to keep animals and humans safe from diseases and other biological agents. To the average person, it’s what we do to keep our animals and ourselves safe from diseases and pests.

It’s the kind of protection that can be hard to see and, initially, hard to quantify. But when E. coli finds its way into your nursery and kills 40% of your piglets, you can definitely start to quantify its impact in both death loss and dollars and cents. Livestock disease prevention is a critical aspect of biosecurity, as outbreaks can have devastating effects on animal health and farm operations.

Biosecurity measures for farms can be as simple as wiping your boots on the doormat before you enter your home or as complicated as a shower-in, shower-out facility at a hog grower farm. A farm employs biosecurity protocols in animal husbandry to protect their operation and those humans who interact on their farm.

Let’s discuss the importance of farm biosecurity and some measures you can take to protect your operation, particularly the use of protective disposable clothing for farmers.

Depending on your farm, you may employ different levels of farm biosecurity best practices. Generally speaking, a beef herd that grazes in the pasture will require a lower level of biosecurity than a closed flock layer operation. And while a dairy farm will generally employ more biosecurity measures for farms than a cattle ranch, it will often be less than a hog farm.

Here are a few biosecurity protocols in animal husbandry that all livestock disease prevention plans should include:

• Limiting access of nonessential traffic and people
• Knowing who is on your farm at all times
• Having a combined entrance and exit
• Being careful who and where you buy livestock and feed
• Use separate equipment for sick animals
• Controlling rodents and pests

A farm may be required to employ additional biosecurity protocols in animal husbandry depending on government regulations or processor requirements, or a farm may simply choose more procedures to preventing disease transmission in livestock.

Here are a few additional measures many farms use:

• Requiring livestock and feed haulers to clean and disinfect vehicles
• Implementing strict quarantine procedures for sick animals
• Providing disinfectant to all visitors and employees
• Requiring showers when entering and exiting barns
• Requiring use of disposable coveralls in farming and disposable clothing for farmers prior to entry

Let’s spend some time discussing that last concept— disposable clothing for farmers.

Many livestock disease prevention strategies involve having employees and visitors wear coveralls over their day-to-day clothing. This can help preventing cross-contamination in animal farming by reducing the transfer of pathogens from one barn to another or even from one farm to another. Someone who visits several farms in the course of the day, like a veterinarian or a nutritionist, should have, at the very least, a clean pair of disposable coveralls for livestock handlers for every stop.

However, is that really enough protection? Are those coveralls washed daily, and if so, how are they washed? Anything short of a bleach wash can still harbor pathogens in the material. This is why benefits of disposable clothing may be something to consider on your operation.

When it comes to disposable clothing for farmers, we recommend the limited wear clothing line from Sunrise Industries. Its overall quality and selection provide the best choice when it comes to your use of disposable coveralls in farming.

To maximize the effectiveness of disposable clothing , farms should establish clear protocols:

• Designated Changing Areas : Set up clean zones where personnel can change into and out of disposable gear.

• Proper Disposal : Provide labeled bins for the safe disposal of used clothing to prevent environmental contamination.

• Training : Educate staff and visitors on the correct use of disposable PPE, including proper donning and doffing techniques.

• Inventory Management : Maintain adequate stock levels to ensure availability during peak periods or disease outbreaks.

By institutionalizing these practices, farms can create a culture of biosecurity awareness and compliance.

Sunrise Industries disposable clothing prides itself on being America’s choice for limited wear protective apparel. They provide a wide range of products including coveralls, lab coats, smocks, shirts, and pants, as well as accessories to keep your operation safe from cross-contamination and disease transfer.

Their products come in several different materials to cater to your farm’s needs. Here are a few examples of the kind of products you can expect to see from Sunrise Industries protective wear:

• DuPont™ Tyvek®  pants and coveralls are made of unique polypropylene fibers. It combines toughness and strength to the garment while still being lightweight for the wearer. Its unique weave proves a barrier against dirt and other dry particulates.
• Suntech™  coveralls, shirts, and pant are made from Sunrise Industries unique fabric innovation. It is a microporous film laminated to polypropylene material. This combination is meant to hold out blood and other wet particulates like manure. It provides a tough barrier of protection while still flexible and breathable.
• Dupont™ Proshield®  is the basic option when it comes to disposable clothing. The coveralls made from this material are soft and provide excellent breathability. They protect against non-hazardous particles and light liquid splash.

Disposable clothing is just one way that you can protect your farm from biosecurity risks. Protocols like this help keep your animals, your employees, and the public healthy. Failure to implement a proper level of biosecurity can lead to high disease incidence, potential regulatory issues and, in the end could have financial repercussions.

With that in mind, consider the use of disposable clothing in farming through Sunrise Industries disposable apparel. You can purchase their products here on our website. Take a minute to check them out and then contact your local QC Supply representative for questions relating to the products.

In the meantime, let us know in the comments why biosecurity in livestock farming is important on your farm.