{"id":8485,"date":"2022-11-02T14:14:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-02T19:14:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pharmgate.com\/usa\/?p=6894"},"modified":"2022-11-02T14:14:00","modified_gmt":"2022-11-02T19:14:00","slug":"putting-herd-health-protocols-into-action","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pharmgate.com\/usa\/news\/putting-herd-health-protocols-into-action\/","title":{"rendered":"Putting herd health protocols into action"},"content":{"rendered":"

By: <\/strong>Pharmgate Animal Health<\/p>\n

How confident are you that your biosecurity protocols are executed accurately? How do you know? No matter how good the written protocol, it won\u2019t work to protect pigs if the steps aren\u2019t executed in the barn, at the truck wash or on the road between farms.<\/p>\n

Dr. Jerome Geiger, health assurance veterinarian with Pig Improvement Company (PIC), says the devil\u2019s in the details when it comes to implementing biosecurity protocols.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou have to have a written protocol, but a big part of the protocol is its successful implementation,\u201d he says. \u201cWhen the rubber meets the road, ask yourself, \u2018what is actually happening at the farm level? How well are protocols being followed?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Geiger outlines four strategies you can use to ensure your protocols work as well in real life as they do on paper.<\/p>\n

#1 Develop the written plan<\/strong><\/p>\n

The most important aspect of creating a written plan is making it realistic, Geiger explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cYour team must balance expected outcomes on paper with what can reasonably and practically be executed on your operation,\u201d he adds. \u201cProtocols must be based on insight and experience of the true process at the farm level to cover all the details and be executable.\u201d<\/p>\n

For example, one person writes a protocol for washing a room or a truck with the goal of reducing contamination. One or more different individuals are responsible for executing the protocol. If the individuals who execute the plan have never washed a room or truck and are not taught carefully how to do so, the written plan must include specific and prioritized steps to make the plan realistic.<\/p>\n

#2 Educate the team<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>Geiger says the biggest area he sees people struggle with is not knowing what the expectations are, which can lead to inconsistency in the execution of protocols.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe top-level owners and managers typically have a broad focus on doing everything in their power to prevent pigs from getting sick and a clear vision of what they expect,\u201d he says. \u201cBut as you go down the through the management structure, you might find individuals who do not understand the expectation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Most communication breakdowns are from either time pressures or a lack of understanding. It\u2019s important to convey all the way through the organization a mindset of biosecurity and the implications and risks involved. To help create a cultural mindset of biosecurity, explain why you do things a certain way and how ignoring those steps can be like ignoring a red light on the road.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>#3 Execute protocols<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cWhat\u2019s written on paper isn\u2019t always what\u2019s being executed day-to-day,\u201d says Geiger. \u201cIt\u2019s important to reconcile what\u2019s really happening with the different expectations and experiences at every level of the operation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Geiger helps farms understand what\u2019s truly being implemented through system audits. He walks through each layer of the process at the different levels of management and labor including upper management, production management and employees to see where breakdowns occur.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor example, on one farm I audited, the written protocols indicated that every truck leaving the system should be disinfected,\u201d says Geiger. \u201cBut as I worked my way through each layer of the operation, we uncovered that the wash system wasn\u2019t taking up disinfectant and no one knew it. So, what was happening on the farm wasn\u2019t matching up to the written protocol.\u201d<\/p>\n

Once you\u2019ve identified these shortcomings, you can work to create a solution that works for everyone across the company.<\/p>\n

#4 Document activities <\/strong><\/p>\n

The last component of a successful health protocol is documentation. What evidence is there that you actually do X, Y or Z on a day-to-day basis? Documentation is helpful when determining where the breakdown in protocol is happening.<\/p>\n

\u201cDocumentation doesn\u2019t have to be specific to the protocols,\u201d says Geiger. \u201cIt might simply be reviewing a log of materials delivered to the facility and confirming that the number of vaccine doses delivered matches the number of pigs vaccinated.\u201d<\/p>\n

A cultural mindset<\/strong><\/p>\n

Consistently and accurately implementing these four steps is the key to unlocking a successful biosecurity program. But, Geiger says there\u2019s more to it than just following rules. Good biosecurity starts with engagement at all levels.<\/p>\n

\u201cBiosecurity has to be more than protocols,\u201d he says. \u201cIt has to be more than locks on doors, UV chambers and downtime tables. It\u2019s a cultural mindset. You have to have people who are accountable and say, \u2018this is my job and I\u2019m going to do it right from beginning to end.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n

Are you looking for ways to improve your herd health protocols? The Pharmgate team<\/a>, including our technical service veterinarians, is here to help.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By: Pharmgate Animal Health How confident are you that your biosecurity protocols are executed accurately? How do you know? 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