FAYETTE, Iowa – With cold and freezing temperatures just around the corner, it’s not too early for hog producers to get their animal safety and biosecurity protocol in place, according to industry experts.

“As fall approaches, producers should check or assess the interior and exterior of pig buildings,” said Mark Storlie, Iowa State University swine specialist. “Look at fans. Are blades, shutters and discharge cones clean and in good repair?

“Look for gaps under doors, manure pump-out covers, or where feed or electrical lines enter the building,” he added. “Look for tears or holes in sidewall currents.”

In fact, these are potential entry points for rodents and air leaks, he said. “The leaking air can become a ‘cold draft,’ which can chill pigs directly, but the leak also disrupts the ventilation system of the barn. The curtain holes become additional air inlets and may impact how air is distributed throughout the room by the ventilation system.”

For older buildings, the roof steel and trusses should be inspected periodically to avoid a roof failure due to snow load, he said.

“Depending upon initial design, material quality and ventilation management, exhaust air can travel up the eve and into the attic area,” he said. “The combination of some gases and time can corrode the roof tin and degrade truss nail joints.”

Chris Rademacher, DVM, an Iowa State College of Veterinary Medicine clinical professor and swine extension veterinarian, said there are several areas that benefit the animals, as well as the hog producers.

“One of the biggest is to ensure that any holes, cracks and crevices are properly sealed,” he said. “These cause drafts during the winter, which can disrupt the proper ventilation of the building, and chill or stress pigs that the draft is directed toward.

“These also generally result in more heat needing to be generated for the buildings, which will cost the producer more money as well,” he added. “Ensure that any ventilation fans are properly cleaned and maintained going into winter. Dust and dirt accumulation on fan blades can cause the motor to run less efficiently, which will reduce ventilation rates, and may cause pigs to get sick.”

Storlie said a well-maintained building can also keep pigs comfortable, be more energy efficient and improve biosecurity, which, he added, are procedures intended to protect animals against disease, or harmful biological agents.

“Biosecurity for a farm or building site then encompasses everything, and every person that enters the site could be a vector to bring disease or a biological agent to the farm,” he said. “While it may be impossible to eliminate the risk, we can minimize the risk of disease transfer by establishing standard operating procedures, and the healthy state of mind of owners, managers, and daily caretakers.”

He said producers need to consider the frequency of people, inputs (i.e., feed, supplies, fuel, etc.), and outputs (i.e., pigs, manure, mortalities, etc.) entering and leaving the site.

“Where had the people, truck, item been before coming to this site?” he said. “How can we minimize the frequency of site entry? Daily caretakers need to every day, yet establishing a standard operating procedures for site entry such as a ‘Clean/Dirty Line’ (a consistent location where ‘street’ shoes are removed and farm boots are worn), or ‘Shower In/Shower Out’ (every person showers in, wears farm-supplied clothing, then showers out) can help minimize disease transfer.

“Limit or minimize non-essential people or visitors entering the site,” he added. “Remember to train entry standard operating procedures to service personnel (i.e., veterinarian, electrician, gasman, etc.). Everyone needs to follow the standard operating procedures.”

Rademacher agreed with Storlie, adding producers should consider ways to reduce foot traffic from outside the building. “Changing boots before entering buildings or offices,” he said. “Don’t use the same boots to take deadstock to the rendering.”

Storlie said trucks and handling equipment entering the site must also be clean.

“Reduce the frequency of supply delivery (weekly to monthly), or even changing delivery location to off-site,” he said. “Maintain a rodent control program. Sites with breeding sows will have more frequency of moving in and out of the site then a finishing site. Yet, both sites need to follow biosecurity standard operating procedures every day to minimize the entry of disease.

“The Secure Pork Supply (www.securepork.org) was established to be proactive if a foreign animal disease, (such as foot-and-mouth disease, African swine fever and classic swine fever) are found in the United States livestock,” he added. “Then regulatory officials will limit animal movement to try to control the spread of very contagious diseases.

“The Secure Pork Supply has excellent biosecurity resources and examples of standard operating procedures that minimize transmission of common swine diseases, as well as foreign animal diseases,” he added.

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association in Schaumburg, Ill., the following are additional ways producers can ensure the overall protection of their livestock during the winter months:

1. Recognize the importance of early veterinary care. Schedule your veterinary exams early in the season to address any concerns before the harsh conditions arrive. Discuss any vaccinations, nutritional supplementation, de-worming and parasite treatment needs with your veterinarian. Make sure to pay special attention to pregnant animals and animals of very young or very old age.

2. Provide appropriate shelter from the elements. Livestock can typically tolerate colder temperatures, but harsher temperatures will require more calories. Keeping this in mind: try to shelter any livestock from the weather with blankets or coats, dry bedding, and a shelter with proper ventilation.

3. Keep the area clear. Keep ice to a minimum to prevent injury to your livestock. Clear any driveways and walkways of snow and ice so that your staff and veterinarians can access your animals easier. Prevent mud and buildup with proper preparation through use of materials such as sand, wood chips and gravel.

4. Consider your feed. Livestock use a large amount of energy to keep warm in the winter. This means they need to consume plenty of calories. Talk with your veterinarian to develop a plan that will meet the needs of your livestock. This may mean increasing the amount or quality of your feed. Keep in mind pregnant animals and those of very young or old age will have additional needs you should address.

5. Ensure fresh, clean, non-frozen water. Make sure your livestock have access to clean, non-frozen water by using tank heaters or heated buckets. Livestock will not consume enough water if it is too cold or frozen. When your livestock are well-hydrated, they are more likely to sustain their health and well-being in the winter months.