Quantitative assessment of biosecurity practices in conventional broiler farms in Punjab, Pakistan

Biosecurity is the basis for animal disease prevention and a key factor in achieving a sustainable poultry production, particularly in Pakistan's rapidly expanding broiler industry. However, the extent of on-farm biosecurity implementation remains largely unquantified, making it essential to conduct an objective assessment to guide targeted interventions. To address this gap, this study evaluated biosecurity practices on 100 conventional broiler farms in Punjab, Pakistan, using the Biocheck.UGent scoring tool. The resulting biosecurity scores were then analyzed in relation to key farm management practices and antimicrobial use (AMU). Biosecurity practices varied across farms with overall scores ranging from 30 % to 75 % (mean: 49 %). External biosecurity was weaker (27 %-76 %, mean: 44 %) than internal biosecurity (34 %-83 %, mean: 55 %). Highly implemented external measures included farm location (scores 73 %) and infrastructure (scores 72 %), while manure and carcass removal (scores 9 %) were poorly implemented. Internal biosecurity showed strengths in disease management (scores 76 %) but weaknesses in cleaning and disinfection (scores 47 %). Overall biosecurity scores correlated positively with farm manager experience (ρ = 0.39, p = 0.01) and farm size (ρ = 0.21, p = 0.04), indicating stronger biosecurity on farms with experienced personnel and larger teams. A negative correlation was found between AMU and overall biosecurity (r = -0.20, p = 0.04), external biosecurity (r = -0.20, p = 0.04), and internal biosecurity (r = -0.15, p = 0.12), suggesting that in farms with better biosecurity less antimicrobials are used. These findings highlight that biosecurity in Pakistan's broiler sector requires major improvements, particularly in areas such as manure and carcass disposal, cleaning and disinfection, and depopulation of broilers. Strengthening these specific measures will help enhance farm productivity, improve disease prevention, and reduce reliance on antimicrobials.