Family Farm Expo Biosecurity Protocols
We look forward to welcoming everyone to the Family Farm Expo but also want to remind everyone on the importance of biosecurity measures.
What is biosecurity?
A set of procedures to prevent the introduction of disease causing organisms. These measures are meant to keep your flock safe from disease being brought in via visitors, animals, or contaminated equipment. Please implement these procedures on your farm to help insure healthy chicks, and the continues health of your whole flock.
LOS- line of separation: LOS is a perimeter that surrounds your poultry yard. This is the line not to be crossed unless you have gone through decontamination procedures.
Supplies for point of entry decontamination:
Liquid disinfectant mixed with water in container you can step into
Wet foot baths are essential for entry into the chicken yard .
boots to only be worn inside the protected area
Hand washing area, (can be in another location but hands must be washed before entry)
Key Takeaways:
LIMIT ENTRY! Try and keep entry to necessary personel only.
Change clothes, use foot baths, and wash hands upon entry into the chicken yard
Limit contact with wild birds, rodents and insects.
Keep feed in airtight bins or metal cans, use hardware cloth on runs to keep out wild birds, and keep water clean of all contaminants.
Create a line of separation (LOS) around your chicken yard and address perimeter issues you may have.
Always disinfect any tools or equipment that has left the chicken yard.
Quarantine all new poultry in a separate area outside of the chicken yard for no less than 30 days. Then do a health evaluation before introducing the bird to your flock.
Family Farm Expo Biosecurity
⚠️ The Family Farm Expo institutes a thorough biosecurity plan in an effort to minimize potential exposure to disease and to prevent or limit disease spread from the expo to the home premises.
Vendor Pre-screening/Questionnaire
Vendor Health and Wellness Checks (start at 7:30 am)
Vendor Health and Wellness Event Monitoring
Health Stations/Reminders
Each of our expo locations will have biosecurity mitigations including footbaths, information signage, hand washing stations, and cleaning of common touch areas.
❗Poultry Disclaimer
We are constantly monitoring the Avian Influenza (AI) situation. All poultry vendors and chicks are screened for biosecurity concerns. Because of this, only chicks will be available at the expo, no adult birds.
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**If you would like to bring your poultry, you must be a registered poultry vendor for the event.
Biosecurity Prior to the Expo
Disease prevention and expo biosecurity start before exhibitors leave home. Only healthy animals should be entered on the grounds. Before animals leave the home premises, the herd or flock should be examined to ensure only healthy animals enter the expo grounds. Maintain a good herd health program, including vaccination and parasite (internal and external) control.
Tools and equipment may harbor disease agents. To minimize potential disease spread from the home premises to the expo, before packing for transport, clean and disinfect:
Feed equipment: buckets, feeders, waterers, and hay racks
Cleaning utensils: shovels, pitch forks, and Wheel barrows
Grooming equipment: clippers and brushers
Vehicle and trailer (inside and outside)
In addition:
House different species (e.g. chickens, turkeys, ducks, and geese) separate from each other
Avoid visits to other backyard flocks or poultry operations and restrict visitor access to your birds
Wash hands and disinfect shoes after working with livestock.
Biosecurity At the Expo
To protect expo animals and minimize disease transmission risk while at the expo please practice the following preacatuions:
Booth Management:
Have support that would allow you to safely manage your live animals in your booth. Please do not allow anyone outside of your booth helper to touch your animals.
Limit animal-animal contact
Limit animal-human-animal contact
Avoid sharing equipment with other exhibitors unless you thoroughly clean and disinfect between use
Cover feed and equipment to reduce risk of contamination
Bring all health papers including health certificates, vaccination records, and test results
Keep all feed, forage, water and feeding equipment free of manure to avoid contamination
For milking animals it is best to bring a portable milking machine from your farm. Avoid sharing milking units
Wash hands and shoes frequently
Properly dispose of used bedding and uneaten, stale feed
Avoid visiting other exhibitors
Bring a change of clothes as extra precaution
Biosecurity After the Expo
Animals returning from the Expo should be isolated from other animals and pets. Monitor animals in isolation daily for signs of illness and contact the herd or flock veterinarian if any unusual symptoms are observed. To minimize the chance of disease spreading to the main herd or flock, modify your chore routine to care for isolated expo animals last. Change your clothes after completing chores for isolated animals. Consult your veterinarian to develop an isolation plan suitable for your premises and herd or flock. In addition, take the following actions::
Properly dispose of all unused feed, forage and bedding at the event site or appropriate off-site location. Do not take any home.
Clean and disinfect all equipment at the event facility.
Change clothing, hats, and shoes used at the fair before doing chores at home.
Isolate show animals from other animals for a minimum of 14 days and ideally 30 days.
Monitor animals in isolation for signs of illness.
