External biosecurity, including introduction of animals |
Routine cleaning and disinfection of facilities between batches of animals |
Disinfection of vehicles for transport |
Reduced mixing of animals from different batches |
Isolation of sick or diseased animals and cleaning operator clothes and boots |
Movement restrictions following outbreaks |
Avoiding distribution hubs for live animals |
Understanding of health status of farms from which animals are being purchased or of neighbouring farms |
Control of surface waters, enrichment materials and feed from other farms |
Housing design to minimise entry of pathogens (doors and walls to prevent access of wild and pest animals, barriers for human access, facilities for human hygiene, air filters) |
Compartmentalisation (including internal trading, SPF systems) |
SPF concept could be more widely adopted |
Eradication |
Eradication of specific diseases and endemic pathogens by all‐in all‐out (poultry), stamping out and medication combined with vaccination, DIVA tests and/or selective removal of individual infected carrier animals |
Secondary prevention (to reduce transmission or spread within a farm)
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Internal biosecurity |
On‐farm risk assessment to identify areas for focused action |
Diagnostic test strategies to focus antimicrobial use and support management strategies |
Segregation |
Reducing stocking density |
Production groupings |
All‐in‐all‐out methods, batching by age, multisite production |
Housing design, building and maintenance |
Reducing the contact between animals and slurry, waste water or faeces |
Use of a proper ventilation system |
Routine cleaning of housing |
Include sick pens |
Reducing production of ammonia by maintaining dry litter and removal of pollutant gases |
Tertiary prevention (to increase the ability of animals to cope with these pathogens)
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Vaccination |
Need to improve vaccines for bacterial conditions |
For pigs, vaccines for post‐weaning diarrhoea, porcine respiratory disease complex and Streptococcus suis are needed |
For poultry, E. coli is the main bacterial organism of concern |
For bovines, vaccines for mastitis, viral diseases in veal production, Mycoplasma bovis are needed |
Animal genetics |
Genetic selection to improve both the innate and adaptive immune competence |
Reducing the level of stress |
Ensuring thermal comfort |
Reducing stocking density |
Reducing mixing of unfamiliar animals |
Ensure proper weaning |
Avoid feed restrictions |
Ensure proper animal handling |
Ensure proper enrichment |
Ensure proper conditions during transport (provision of feed and water, climatic conditions, avoid mixing and crowding) |
Nutrition |
Promoting proper nutritional measures, e.g. transition period, weaning of piglets, feed additives for microbiota composition |
Herd (flock) health plans
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Professional input into on‐farm animal health management, e.g. use of herd (flock) health plans |
Review and revision of health plans on a regular basis to ensure that they are ‘living documents’ and are of active management value to the producer rather than ‘audit requirements’ |
Additional considerations on husbandry and management procedures
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Rethinking of the livestock production systems |
Review farming systems with heavy antimicrobial use to determine whether/how such systems could sustainably reduce the use of on‐farm antimicrobials |
Potential of alternative farming principles |
Some regulated production systems are able to operate with low antimicrobial use, and the farming practices which facilitate this should be further evaluated. Any associated animal health and welfare risks due to, e.g. higher risk for bacterial/parasitical/viral exposure also need to be considered |
Raising awareness of AMR issues |
Increasing producer awareness of ‘general’ AMR issues (public and animal health threats) and encouraging best practices among farmers |
Raising education on factors influencing disease occurrence |