The research sought to evaluate the knowledge of biosecurity among Ontario dairy farmers and veterinarians, as well as to identify hurdles to biosecurity implementation for producers from both viewpoints. The study included 35 semi-structured interviews conducted between July 2022 and January 2023, as well as a demographic survey. Thematic analysis was conducted using constructivist and grounded theory paradigms. Thematic coding was done inductively using NVivo software.
The concept of biosecurity among dairy farmers varied, but all agreed that it was intended to prevent disease transmission. The most popular view was that biosecurity prevented disease transmission on the farm. Both veterinarians and farmers agreed that closed herds were one of the most significant biosecurity practices. The barriers to biosecurity adoption included a lack of resources, internal and external corporate influences, individual attitudes of biosecurity, and a lack of industry effort. Understanding the constraints that producers encounter allows veterinarians to customize their communication to ensure that barriers are minimized, or to help other industry participants decrease barriers.
Biosecurity adoption on dairy farms varies in Canada, ranging from less than 5% (e.g., visitor logbooks) to widely accepted methods (e.g., deadstock management, which is used by 92% of respondents). There seems to be a gap between dairy farmers’ understanding and actions on biosecurity. Although producers seem to be educated about key biosecurity protocols, they continue to report suboptimal adoption across farms.
ProAction, a national quality assurance program, requires dairy farmers in Ontario to practice biosecurity. Producers must complete seven requirements, including a biennial Risk Assessment Questionnaire with a veterinarian, recording specific disease events, establishing and implementing vaccination standard operating procedures (SOPs), establishing and implementing SOPs for new or returning animal additions, establishing and implementing SOPs to prevent infectious disease introduction by human movement on the farm, and displaying visible signage at access points.
Veterinarians are an important source of information and are well-positioned to enable knowledge translation and transfer (KTT). However, because to communication gaps, not all veterinarians are confident in their abilities to assess biosecurity on their customers’ farms. Understanding the constraints that producers encounter may assist veterinarians plan for these challenges and effectively troubleshoot biosecurity implementation.
Read more: Ontario dairy producers’ and veterinarians’ perspectives: barriers to biosecurity implementation
