1. Establish and Implement an Efficient and Effective Health Management Plan
Good Production Practice #2
Assuring Quality Care for Animals
Food Animal Quality Assurance
go.osu.edu/AQCA

2. Health Management Plan
Key to food safety
Increases production and efficiency
Requires less medical care
Beneficial impact on animals’ health through use of measures such as:
Vaccination plans
Biosecurity protocols
Emergency preparedness

3. Health Management Plan Components
Development and maintenance of a veterinarian/client/patient relationship (VCPR)
Individualized herd health plan
Herd/flock biosecurity plan
Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) and agroterrorism awareness, reporting and prevention

4. Health Management Plan
Use what is learned in other GPPs to have a successful plan:
GPP #1: Use an Appropriate VCPR as the Basis for Medication Decision-Making
GPP #3: Use Antibiotics Responsibly
GPP #4: Properly Store and Administer Animal Health Products
GPP #6: Establish Effective Animal Identification, Medication Records and Withdrawal Times

5. Development and Maintenance of VCPR
Regular observations by a veterinarian are beneficial in maintaining healthy herd or flock and fulfill GPP #1
Veterinarian observes animals in current environment and reviews:
Production records
Vaccination records
Treatment records
Other information on status of health
Discuss and address any concerns since last veterinary visit
Veterinarian may observe subtle problems gone unnoticed

6. Development of Individualized Herd Health Plan
Addresses potential and current health challenges
Helps prevent diseases from entering herd or flock
Consult with veterinarian to formulate vaccination and parasite control programs
Helpful in preventing or controlling potential disease outbreaks
Periodic health checks by veterinarian help prevent disease
Tailor plan to your herd or flock and target certain diseases
Know disease status of animals
Understand level of challenges

7. Development of Individualized Herd Health Plan
Options for disease control
Elimination
Control or manage
Develop treatment plan for disease challenges
Provide vaccination and parasite control
Ask for animal health records when purchasing animals

8. Development of Herd Level Biosecurity Plan

9. Biosecurity
Practices designed to prevent introduction and transmission of disease-causing agents into herd or flock
Biosecurity plan includes:
Barn sanitation
Rodent control
Caretaker entry policies
Visitor entry policies
General farm security measures
Focus on prevention of entry of unwanted diseases
Plan in place regardless of number of animals

10. Disease Transmission from Farm to Farm
Rodents, wildlife, birds
Pets
Vehicles and equipment
Humans
New animals
Clothing and shoes
Air

11. External Biosecurity – Keeping Diseases Out of the Herd
Control wildlife and pests
Talk with veterinarian about health maintenance program before purchasing new animals
Isolate new animals for at least 10 days
Consult with veterinarian for each situation
Isolate animal(s) after show
Vaccinate if same health status of current animals
Limit number of visitors to facility

12. External Biosecurity – Keeping Diseases Out of the Herd: Visitors
Production areas – limited access
Change clothes before entering
Should not have contact with other livestock for 24 hours prior (especially for same species)

13. External Biosecurity – Keeping Diseases Out of the Herd: Environment
Clean and disinfect pens, stalls, crates before bringing in new animals
Have separate facilities for sick animals
Keep feed and feed bunks free of manure
Clean waterers out on regular basis

14. Internal Biosecurity – Keeping Diseases Already in Herd from Spreading
Periodically survey herd or flock for disease challenges
Operate all-in/all-out when cleaning and disinfecting between groups of animals
Establish traffic pattern to prevent exposure of younger animals to older animals
Provide dedicated boots and coveralls at strategic places
Wash hands when boots and coveralls are changed
Practice proper room, pen, coop, and barn sanitation

15. Rodent and Pest Control
Include in both internal and external biosecurity
Elements to effective rodent control:
Deny entrance to facilities and buildings
Remove sources of food that attract rodents
Prevent and deny cover and places to live
Bait or trap to reduce rodent populations
Dogs and cats are unacceptable rodent control
Wildlife and pests compromise biosecurity
Use perimeter fences, netting, screening

16. Foreign Animal Disease (FAD)
Producers increase awareness of FADs
Report all suspect cases to ODA
Take special precautions to prevent accidental or intentional introduction of FADs
Be aware of zoonotic diseases which can be passed from animals to humans