Staff from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Division of Extension produced a series of three educational videos which instructs livestock owners on how to protect livestock from disease-causing microorganisms.

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The three educational videos offer biosecurity measures livestock owners can implement to reduce the risk of introducing and spreading diseases found in Wisconsin.

“No one is more vested in the success of your livestock operation than you are. Your farm’s biosecurity plan depends on you,” said DATCP Assistant State Veterinarian Dr. Elisabeth Patton. “Successful biosecurity plans are dependent on consistent and thorough management steps that you and everyone on your operation practice every single day to reduce the risk to your animals and your herd.”

The three educational videos are hosted on the DATCP YouTube channel.

Basic Biosecurity Practices For Livestock Operations

The first video focuses on basic biosecurity practices for livestock operations.

Biosecurity Practices For Livestock At Fairs, Shows, And Exhibitions

The Second video outlines practices for biosecurity at fairs, shows, and exhibitions.

Biosecurity During a Disease Outbreak

The third video provides an overview of biosecurity during disease response.

The videos offer instructions for practicing four critical steps to help stop the spread of disease including exclusion, separation, cleaning, and disinfecting. Tips for biocontainment and risk assessment are also provided. 

The videos are appropriate for all age levels, from youth who are planning to show animals at a fair for the first time, to longtime producers. Regardless of experience level caring for livestock, these videos demonstrate how to protect animals and prevent the spread of diseases.

“Biosecurity means keeping animals healthy by protecting them from diseases. Anytime we bring animals together from different farms, there is a risk of sharing germs,” UW-Extension Senior Outreach Specialist Sandy Stuttgen said. “However, there are steps you can take to reduce the risk of introducing and spreading diseases while attending shows and steps to take to not bring diseases home to your farm.”

The videos were created with the expertise of UW-Madison Division of Extension educators and outreach specialists including Sandy Stuttgen, Heather Schlesser, and Carolyn Ihde, DATCP veterinarians Dr. Elisabeth Patton and Dr. Becky Johnson, and DATCP emergency management specialist Kurt Grajkowski.

DATCP and UW-Madison Division of Extension encourage all to share the videos widely with friends, colleagues, coworkers, and family who could benefit from the information.

Funding for this work was provided by United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services Veterinary Services (USDA-APHIS-VS) through a cooperative agreement with DATCP.