Lianou Daphne T, Fthenakis George C
Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, 43100 Karditsa, Greece.
Animals (Basel). 2024 Jul 22;14(14):2136. doi: 10.3390/ani14142136.
Given the significance of goat farming in Greece, our study aimed to explore biosecurity conditions on goat farms and refers to an investigation performed on 119 farms countrywide in Greece. The objective of the present work was to evaluate and report on potential associations between the socio-demographic characteristics of goat farmers and practices that play a role in biosecurity on farms. Data were obtained during a large cross-sectional study performed across Greece in 119 goat herds. The socio-demographic characteristics of farmers, as well as 16 variables related to biosecurity, were recorded; these were practices or events that could potentially enhance or compromise biosecurity on farms. A score based on all the biosecurity-related variables was devised by assigning a '1' or '-1' mark for each variable recorded on a farm that could enhance or compromise, respectively, biosecurity. Among variables potentially enhancing biosecurity on farms, the application of disinfections on the farm and the maintenance of isolation for sick animals were practiced more frequently; among variables potentially compromising biosecurity on farms, the presence of hunters in the area around the farm and grazing practices for animals were recorded more frequently. The median overall score for biosecurity-related practices for all farms in the study was 1 (interquartile range: 2.5; minimum: -4; maximum: 5). Among socio-demographic characteristics, the presence of working staff on a farm was associated with five individual biosecurity-related practices and the length of farming experience with three individual biosecurity-related practices. In the multivariable analysis, female farmers ( = 0.007) and the presence of working staff on the farm ( = 0.025) emerged as the two significant socio-demographic characteristics with an association with the overall biosecurity level on farms. This knowledge can be useful when developing biosecurity programs on goat farms. Recognition of locally applied farm-level practices enhancing biosecurity could form a basis for farmers to apply more rigorous and effective relevant plans.
鉴于养羊业在希腊的重要性，我们的研究旨在探索山羊养殖场的生物安全状况，并涉及对希腊全国119个养殖场进行的一项调查。本研究的目的是评估并报告山羊养殖户的社会人口特征与养殖场生物安全相关做法之间的潜在关联。数据是在希腊对119个山羊群进行的一项大型横断面研究中获取的。记录了养殖户的社会人口特征以及与生物安全相关的16个变量；这些是可能增强或损害养殖场生物安全的做法或事件。通过为养殖场记录的每个分别可增强或损害生物安全的变量赋予“1”或“-1”分，设计了一个基于所有生物安全相关变量的分数。在可能增强养殖场生物安全的变量中，养殖场进行消毒以及对患病动物进行隔离的做法更为常见；在可能损害养殖场生物安全的变量中，养殖场周边地区有猎人以及动物的放牧做法被记录得更为频繁。该研究中所有养殖场生物安全相关做法的总体得分中位数为1（四分位间距：2.5；最小值：-4；最大值：5）。在社会人口特征中，养殖场有工作人员与五项个体生物安全相关做法相关，养殖经验的长短与三项个体生物安全相关做法相关。在多变量分析中，女性养殖户（P = 0.007）和养殖场有工作人员（P = 0.025）成为与养殖场总体生物安全水平相关的两个显著社会人口特征。这些知识在制定山羊养殖场生物安全计划时可能会有用。认识到当地应用的可增强生物安全的养殖场层面做法可为养殖户应用更严格有效的相关计划奠定基础。
