Disease prevention for livestock keepers
How to prevent the introduction and spread of animal disease by following good hygiene and biosecurity standards.
The action you take on your farm is vital in stopping the introduction and spread of animal diseases in the UK. You must practise good biosecurity measures at all times.
Disease may not always be apparent especially in the early stages and there are many ways disease can be introduced and spread.
If you keep poultry, you should follow our guidance on preventing and stopping disease spreading in poultry.
Farm animal diseases are mainly spread through:
- animals moving between and within farms and, in particular, the introduction of new animals
- direct or close contact with neighbours’ animals
- sharing vehicles, machinery, equipment, feed and bedding between farms
- movement of people, especially workers, between and within farms
- farm visitors – people, pets, equipment and vehicles
- poor maintenance of buildings where animals are kept allowing vermin, birds or other wildlife to enter
- contamination of food, water, bedding and other materials by wildlife, vermin and wild birds
- animals drinking from contaminated rivers and streams
Some animal diseases such as bluetongue are only spread by insects or contaminated veterinary equipment.
Some diseases are zoonotic, which means they can be transmitted between humans and animals, and so good biosecurity can also reduce the risk of disease exposure to your workers and members of the public who visit your farm.
The 2 most important considerations for biosecurity are:
- design your working practices to minimise how often people, equipment and vehicles are entering places where farm animals are kept - such as fields, sheds, markets and other holding areas
- cleanse and disinfect any equipment, vehicles and non-disposable protective clothing or footwear before and after contact with farm animals
Report a suspected notifiable disease
If you suspect a notifiable disease in your animals, you must report it immediately by calling:
- 03000 200 301 if you’re in England
- 0300 303 8268 if you’re in Wales
- your local Field Services Office if you’re in Scotland
If you suspect a notifiable disease and do not report it, you’re breaking the law.
Biosecurity measures
To prevent disease:
- do not bring infection onto your farm, or spread it around your farm, on your clothes, footwear or hands
- keep farm access routes, parking areas, yards, feeding and storage areas clean and tidy
- have pressure washers, brushes, hoses, water and disinfectant available, and make sure visitors use them
- wash your hands with soap and water after handling livestock
- do not allow contact with neighbours’ livestock and maintain your fences
- do not share injecting and dosing equipment – if it cannot be avoided, cleanse and disinfect thoroughly
- inspect animals regularly (at least daily) for signs of disease
- clean and then disinfect any farm machinery and equipment if you are sharing these with a neighbouring farm
- introduce a pest control programme
- fence off streams and rivers – supply clean fresh drinking water in troughs
- keep livestock away from freshly spread slurry
- ensure your livestock identification and record keeping is accurate and up-to-date
- remove fallen stock (dead animals) promptly and keep carcasses away from livestock areas while awaiting collection
- limit how far fallen stock collector vehicles need to come onto the farm – see advice for farmers and collectors from the National Fallen Stock Company
- make a health plan with your vet for your herd or flock, including isolation for new or returning stock
- know the health status of any animals you are buying or moving
Staff and visitors
To prevent disease:
- train staff on the principles of hygiene and disease security
- include signs directing visitors to the farmhouse or office, and urging visitors not to feed animals or get in close contact
- avoid unnecessary visitors where possible - for example, consider having a farm post box at the end of your drive
- have a visitor policy, and include a requirement to record everyone who enters and leaves the farm
- where possible, provide a hard standing area away from livestock for visitors’ vehicles
- provide cleaning and disinfectant materials for all visitors and workers
- consider offering protective clothing and footwear – wellington boots are recommended because they are easy to clean and disinfect
- avoid wearing dirty clothes and footwear off the farm – this is important when visiting markets, shows, farms and other premises where there are livestock
See Health & Safety Executive (HSE) guidance for agricultural workers on zoonoses which outlines the duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) 2002 and the simple control measures such as hand washing.
See also HSE guidance on preventing or controlling ill health from animal contact at visitor attractions or open farms.
Protective clothing
To prevent disease:
- use disposable clothing only once
- as soon as you finishing using any disposable clothing, dispose of it suitably or seal it in a bag for later disposal
- wash all non-disposable protective clothing (such as cotton boiler suits or cotton coats) in the way stipulated by that product’s washing guidance, and after every use
- cleanse and disinfect waterproof clothing and boots immediately before entering and leaving the farm
Buildings, equipment and vehicles
To prevent disease:
- keep vehicles clean inside and out
- clean and disinfect vehicles and trailers (preferably with a power hose)
- pay attention to areas where dirt may be hidden such as wheel arches
- clean and disinfect all shared and hired equipment before and after use
- make sure that buildings where animals are kept are in good condition to prevent access to wildlife
- keep your farmyard and surroundings clean and tidy to discourage vermin
- make sure that animals kept indoors have fresh clean dry bedding
- dispose of used bedding away from livestock, humans and watercourses as it can cause contamination
- clean and disinfect buildings and equipment after use by livestock
- safely dispose of used equipment such as disposable clothing and veterinary equipment
See the guidance on using Defra approved disinfectants
Buying new stock or returning your stock to the farm
Always know the health status of animals you are buying or moving. To prevent disease:
- keep incoming and returning stock separate from the rest of the herd or flock
- use separate equipment and staff or handle isolated stock last
- keep isolation buildings as near as possible to the farm entrance and separate from other livestock buildings by 3 metres
- if using a paddock, keep it separated by at least 3 metres (with double fencing) from other animals on the farm
- keep accurate and up-to-date records
You must follow the rules about identifying, tracing and moving your animals to stop the spread of disease.
Feed and water
Various diseases can be spread by contaminated feed and water, so to reduce the risk:
- use mains water wherever possible
- have water bowls or drinkers above the level for faecal contamination
- avoid contamination of watercourses
- clean feed and water troughs regularly
- discourage dogs and cats from walking in feed troughs
- keep feed in a clean, dry store
- keep feed stores covered and shut to ensure no access by dogs, cats, vermin and wildlife
- dispose of old or soiled feed safely
- avoid swill feeding which is banned
Find out more about preventing disease from animal by-products and farm animal feed.
Slurry management
Infections can survive in slurry and manure, so to reduce the risk:
- spread slurry on arable land rather than grass for silage making or stock grazing – if this is not possible, contact APHA for advice
- spread slurry using an inverted spreading plate
- avoid using hired or shared spreaders if possible – if sharing is unavoidable, ensure spreaders are thoroughly cleansed before coming on your farm and cleansed again before leaving
Updates to this page
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Guidance reviewed and redrafted, including adding new guidance on protective clothing.
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Guide reviewed and redrafted, web links updated
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Updated links to detailed guides.
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First published.