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Let us Guide you Through the Best Practice for Biosecurity

September 2, 2021 by Ilze

Most people enjoy food without considering the actions involved to ensure the food is safe to eat. We take it for granted without considering the hard work farmers across South Africa put into farming. At Ecowize, we’re passionate about helping those farmers ensure food safety from farm to fork.

How do we do that? Did you know we are more than just a leading cleaning service provider? We specialise in helping farmers and various food production facilities ensure their products are safe for consumers, especially pork and poultry. We get the job done by implementing expert biosecurity programmes alongside our specialised cleaning and food safety services and products for large commercial and up-and-coming farms nationwide.

What is biosecurity?

Biosecurity is a set of measures aimed at preventing the introduction and spread of harmful pathogens to animals and plants, to minimise any risk of transmission of infectious disease, and to maintain the health and welfare of the animals.

Naturally, poor hygiene conditions negatively impact the breeding or growing operation. In addition, outbreaks mean animals must be selectively slaughtered to keep consumers safe, harming the supply chain and food safety.

Locally, the three primary pathogens we contend with are avian influenza, swine flu and foot and mouth disease. Usually, one only hears about these outbreaks when they’re front-page news. But at this point, it’s far too late – farms are already affected, and neighbouring farms are also at risk because these diseases spread quickly.

However, prevention is better than cure. The key is ensuring policies and practices are in place long before an outbreak. All it takes is contamination from one soiled gumboot, vehicle, or infected wild bird visiting your farm. When biosecurity defences, including specialised cleaning, are not in place, entire seasons of animals could be lost.

Ecowize encourages farmers, big and small, to invest in biosecurity to secure their production and help protect their brand. It is vital in areas where informal farming practices take place, as with less strict hygiene standards, cross-contamination between farms becomes more likely.

Preventative action is the only answer. This is where we get excited to introduce our expertise. We can develop and ensure each farm’s biosecurity measures, which must be adhered to. These measures aim to stop introducing diseases and protect humans, flocks, farms, and industry.

Ecowize Technical Executive P.F. Coetzee adds that the most important thing is to create a culture of conscientious dedication to biosecurity defences within your team. It is about being practical and consistent, always prioritising best practice as the only practice.

Our specialised cleaning systems are critical in broiler houses and independent abattoirs, laying a solid foundation for a comprehensive biosecurity programme.