Schembri N, Hernandez-Jover M, Toribio J-A L M L, Holyoake P K
The University of Sydney, Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia.
The University of Sydney, Farm Animal and Veterinary Public Health, 425 Werombi Road, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia; Graham Centre for Agricultural Innovation (NSW Department of Primary Industries and Charles Sturt University), School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, Locked Bag 588, Wagga Wagga, NSW 2678, Australia.
Prev Vet Med. 2015 Jan 1;118(1):104-16. doi: 10.1016/j.prevetmed.2014.11.008. Epub 2014 Nov 15.
Pigs are considered high risk for the introduction and spread of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in Australia. Facilities where animals from different origins are commingled, such as saleyards, pose a high risk for disease spread. Sound on-farm management practices and biosecurity protocols are the first line of defence against a potential on-farm disease outbreak. This study evaluated the practices of 104 producers (vendors who sold pigs and purchasers of live pigs for grow-out) who traded pigs at 6 peri-urban and rural saleyards in eastern Australia. Specifically, management and on-farm biosecurity practices were assessed using an in-depth questionnaire. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to investigate (1) producer associations: producer type, State, motivation to keep pigs, farm type, gender, years having owned pigs, and the acquisition of formal livestock qualifications; and (2) pig associations: herd size, housing, management (husbandry and feeding) practices and biosecurity (including pig movement) practices. Backyard operations (<20 sows) were undertaken by 60.6% of participants, followed by small-scale pig operations (28.8%; 21-100 sows). Few producers (16.3%) reported residing in close proximity (<5 km) to commercial operations; however, less rural producers had neighbouring hobby pig operations within 5 km of their property (P=0.033). Motivation for keeping pigs was significantly associated with a number of biosecurity practices. Producers who kept pigs for primary income were more likely to provide footwear precautions (P=0.007) and ask visitors about prior pig contacts (P=0.004). Approximately 40% of backyard and small-scale producers reported not having any quarantine practices in place for incoming pigs, compared to only 9.1% among larger producers. The main reasons cited for not adopting on-farm biosecurity practices in this study included having no need on their property (43.1%) and a lack of information and support (by the industry and/or authorities; 18.5%). Up to three-quarters of all producers maintained an open breeding herd, regularly introducing new pigs to the main herd. Saleyards are an important source of income for backyard and small-scale producers as well as an important risk factor for the introduction and dissemination of endemic and emerging animal diseases. Differing management and biosecurity practices as well as the motivations of these producers keeping pigs in small numbers and trading pigs at saleyards need to be taken into account in the development of successful biosecurity extension programmes for this sector of the Australian pork industry.
在澳大利亚，猪被视为口蹄疫传入和传播的高风险因素。不同来源动物混合饲养的场所，如牲畜拍卖场，存在疾病传播的高风险。良好的农场管理实践和生物安全协议是防范农场潜在疾病爆发的第一道防线。本研究评估了104位生产者（出售生猪的供应商以及购买生猪用于育肥的采购商）的做法，这些生产者在澳大利亚东部6个城郊和农村牲畜拍卖场交易生猪。具体而言，通过深入问卷调查评估管理和农场生物安全实践。采用单变量和多变量逻辑回归分析来调查：（1）生产者关联因素：生产者类型、州、养猪动机、农场类型、性别、养猪年限以及是否获得正式的畜牧资格；（2）生猪关联因素：猪群规模、猪舍、管理（饲养和喂食）实践以及生物安全（包括生猪移动）实践。60.6%的参与者从事后院养殖（母猪数量<20头），其次是小规模养猪场（28.8%；21 - 100头母猪）。很少有生产者（16.3%）报告居住在距离商业养殖场很近（<5公里）的地方；然而，农村地区较少的生产者在其房产5公里范围内有相邻的业余养猪场（P = 0.033）。养猪动机与一些生物安全实践显著相关。以养猪为主要收入来源的生产者更有可能采取鞋类预防措施（P = 0.007）并询问访客之前与猪的接触情况（P = 0.004）。大约40%的后院和小规模生产者报告对 incoming pigs 没有任何检疫措施，而大型生产者中这一比例仅为9.1%。本研究中未采用农场生物安全实践的主要原因包括其农场无需采取（43.1%）以及缺乏信息和支持（行业和/或当局提供的；18.5%）。高达四分之三的生产者维持开放式繁殖猪群，定期将新猪引入主猪群。牲畜拍卖场是后院和小规模生产者的重要收入来源，也是地方性和新出现的动物疾病传入和传播的重要风险因素。在为澳大利亚猪肉行业的这一部门制定成功的生物安全推广计划时，需要考虑这些生产者不同的管理和生物安全实践以及小规模养猪和在牲畜拍卖场交易生猪的动机。
