On-farm biosecurity as perceived by professionals visiting Swedish farms

Table 5 Reported obstacles for on-farm biosecurity reported by professionals visiting farms in their work

Reported obstacles for on-farm biosecurity	(n)
Lack of water, soap, wash basin, paper-towels (f)	81
Inadequate equipment or lack of water to clean boots or equipment (f)	51
Adequate protective clothing not available on the farm; non-existing, cold, dirty or wrong size (f)	30
Lack of time, the working schedule does not allow adequate cleaning between farms	18
No hygiene barrier or inadequate separation of clean and dirty areas (e.g. have to pass dirty area after washing) (f)	17
Sensitive equipment (e.g. handheld computer) is difficult to clean	15
Ignorance, unwillingness or unawareness among the farmers	14
No clean surfaces for equipment, e.g. no clean table for the veterinary medical equipment (f)	13
Cold climate makes it difficult to change on-farm, cause chapped hands, shoe covers are slippery on snow and ice, water freezes when washing equipment	12
No hand disinfectant available on-farm (f)	7
Lack of space in the car (w)	7
Inadequate protective clothes, or not as many as needed provided by the employer (w)	6
Lack of general hygiene on-farm (f)	5
Other*	40

Based on an open ended question in a questionnaire to Swedish veterinarians, AI-technicians, animal welfare inspectors, livestock hauliers and hoof trimmers in 2012–2013.
(f) = farm related, (w) = workplace related.
*Other = Obstacles reported by less than five responders, e.g.: Dirty yard; If demands are too high, one risks to be regarded as uncomfortable and the farmer will turn to someone else instead; Standard protective coat scares some horses; No separate out load area for dispatched animals; The farmers are afraid of the animals and cannot load them; Distance prevents planning of trips based on biosecurity levels; Design of the building; The farmer does not inform about current disease situation on the farm; Lack of resources (money); Shared vehicles; Disposable shoe protections of poor quality; Lack of guidelines on national level for farmers and professionals visiting farms in their work/the requirements are too low; Lack of hygiene education; Inadequate handling of laundry, protective clothing are re-contaminated; Difficult to find adequate protective clothing for cold winter climate; Animal welfare inspection visits often have a negative effect on the mood and attitude of the farmer and this makes biosecurity more difficult.

ISSN: 1751-0147