Biocontainment, biosecurity, and security practices in beef feedyards

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Public Health
• Animal Agriculture
• Food Safety

Background:

• Biocontainment, biosecurity, and security are critical for preventing disease transmission and ensuring animal health in beef feedyards.
• The Central Plains region is a major hub for beef cattle production in the United States.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the current implementation of biocontainment, biosecurity, and security practices in beef feedyards within the Central Plains.
• To identify factors influencing the adoption of these practices.

Main Methods:

• A voluntary survey was administered to personnel at 106 beef feedyards in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
• Data collection focused on facility design, employee protocols, disease preparedness, sanitation, and waste management.

Main Results:

• Overall, feedyards demonstrated low to moderate implementation of recommended biocontainment, biosecurity, and security measures.
• Smaller feedyards (<1,000 cattle capacity) were less likely to adopt these practices compared to larger operations.
• Significant variation in practice implementation was observed across different feedyards.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a need for improved and standardized biocontainment, biosecurity, and security protocols in Central Plains beef feedyards.
• Findings can inform consulting veterinarians and feedyard managers in developing targeted training and improvement strategies.
• Enhancing these practices is essential for safeguarding animal health and the integrity of the food supply.