Table 3 High-relevance/high-agreement measures listed for the biosecurity categories by setting, as determined by summaries of the relevance scores provided by experts

CnD

The anteroom or hygiene lock and its equipment are cleaned and disinfected at least every 2 weeks

X

The feed storage and pipelines are cleaned and disinfected at least once a year

X

Dung from the sows held in farrowing pens is removed daily

X

The floor in each barn section and anteroom/hygiene locks (indoor) or in the changing room (outdoor) is even and without damage and thereby easy to clean and to disinfect. Also in outdoor systems, the huts are easy to clean and to disinfect

X

X

Fields have a downtime and are not used for other livestock animals between pig holding

X

The pit below slatted flooring is emptied between two batches

X

Corridors within barns are cleaned and disinfected before other pigs are moved via those corridors

X

X

The standard cleaning and disinfection procedures in the barns include drying

X

X

Sufficient downtime period after cleaning and disinfection before new pigs are moved into a cleaned and disinfected barn /compartment/ pen

X

X

Contact with manure is minimised by a suitable flooring system and cleaning application in the barns

X

X

Empty outdoor enclosure sections are given a sufficient downtime period before new pigs are moved onto it

X

X

Equipment

Machines/equipment are NOT shared with other farms or are cleaned and disinfected when returned

X

X

X

X

Equipment (e.g., shovel, moving board) is NOT shared or it is cleaned and disinfected between age groups before use

X

X

X

X

Dedicated injection syringes and needles are used for each age group and are cleaned and disinfected

X

X

Feed, water and bedding

All feed and bedding are stored protected from wildlife, pets and pests

X

X

X

X

Pigs have NO access to open water sources

X

The drinking water is known to be free from or treated against microbiological contamination

X

X

Animals

The carcass storage is closed, so that wildlife, pets and pests DO NOT have access to the carcasses

X

X

X

Rodent baits are used in the surroundings of the farm enclosures

X

All farm buildings are surrounded by a sufficient perimeter fence

X

Wild birds have NO access to the barn

X

Other livestock species on the farm are physically separated from the pigs

X

X

Outdoor enclosures are surrounded by a sufficient perimeter fence

X

A pest control program (against rodents, wild birds, insects) is carried out by a professional company

X

A pest control program (against rodents, wild birds, insects) is carried out

X

Humans

All people have to wear farm-specific clothes and footwear

X

X

X

Hygiene locks are present in sufficient number and at sensible locations (different age groups/ quarantine area) in the operation

X

Drivers of transport vehicles/distributors/other visitors have NO access to the barns (indoor) or outdoor enclosures (outdoor)

X

X

Clothes and footwear are changed or cleaned and disinfected between outdoor enclosure sections or when moving to another production stage

X

Changing rooms are present in sufficient number and at sensible locations (different age groups/ quarantine area) in the operation

X

All people have to use the hygiene lock when entering a barn

X

X

Mixing

After weaning, weaners are NOT kept together with sows and piglets for some days/weeks, in the same farrowing room (indoor) or farrowing hut (outdoor)

X

X

X

Stay-behinds and sick animals are isolated from the healthy ones

X

X

X

X

Sick pigs are consistently handled after the healthy pigs

X

X

X

X

Barn sections (indoor) or outdoor enclosures (outdoor) are managed all-in/all-out

X

X

X

X

Cross-fostering is reduced to a minimum

X

Individual weaners or fatteners are NOT moved to another outdoor enclosure section, containing another group of animals of the same age

X

Cross-fostering does NOT occur four or more days after farrowing

X

X

Purchase

Purchased pigs have equal or better Salmonella / HEV status than own pigs

X

X

X

X

The breeding pigs come from maximum one other farm of origin

X

X

New pigs are quarantined for a sufficient period of time before entering the main herd

X

New breeding pigs are moved to a quarantine area for a sufficient period of time before they enter the main herd

X

Purchased breeding pigs are moved to a quarantine area before they enter the herd

X

X

The fattening pigs come from maximum one other farm of origin

X

X

Transport

Transport vehicles (own or external) are cleaned and disinfected before loading pigs and do not already contain pigs of other farms

X

X

X

X

External vehicles have NO access to the clean area within the farm perimeter

X

X

A separate ramp or loading area is used so that pigs being loaded/unloaded do not come in contact with barns /compartments/ pens containing other pigs

X

X