For Swine Farm Operators:

1. Maintain a log of visitors.

2. Establish a clear line of separation at the farm. This is a line dividing the area that is to be used by the farm for live animals (often referred to as the clean area) and the area that is outside of the live animal area (the dirty area). Only the owner goes into the pens and has contact with the pigs. Enforce no reaching into pens and zero contact with pigs by visitors. It is recommended that a separate area be used to show/view pigs.

3. Designate a parking area for visitors.

4. Traffic flow – utilize a single direction traffic flow by designating a single entrance / exit point for vehicles.

5. Foot baths – If managed correctly, provide and encourage the use of foot bath stations as people enter the farm. Refresh the solution periodically depending on level of use. However, bear in mind that a contaminated foot bath could be more detrimental than helpful. Do not rely solely on the use of a foot bath.

6. Establish a designated area away from all swine for disposable items, such as boot covers and other trash, to be collected for removal.

When the show ends, the real work begins:

Bio-security is just as important after the show! Taking the necessary precautions is important right now to protect the health of our industry. While it may be simple to just rid the pens of sand or shavings, cleaning and disinfecting your barns, trailers and even all of your tack is an important step to ensuring the health of your next set of pigs and everyone else’s. When cleaning equipment you can’t just stop with the outside of your showbox. All showbox contents such as spray bottles, brushes, feed cups, buckets and even your whip need to be disinfected.

1. Make sure to wash everything well; disinfect with diluted Clorox, Accel, Tek-Trol or other disinfectant, and let it all sit for a period of time. It is best to do this at a location not on your farm or in an isolated area farthest away from high traffic area and animals.

2. Do not wear the same clothes, shoes or caps you wore at the show once you arrive home. Clean and disinfect as soon as possible.

3. Dispose of any unused feed that was in the barns. It is possible for virus particles to survive on feedstuffs.

4. Monitor all animals daily for illness. If you see any signs of illness alert your veterinarian immediately.

Protect the health of the swine industry by practicing sound biosecurity protocols. We are all responsible for protecting livestock health and must be held accountable.

For more information on biosecurity or health issues, please visit the following websites: www.texaspork.org/industry-resources www.pork.org