• Globally, the way the animal production industry copes with infectious diseases is changing. The (excessive) use of antimicrobials is under debate and it is becoming standard practice to implement thorough biosecurity plans on farms to prevent the entry and spread of pathogenic micro-organisms. Not only in farm animal production, but also in facilities where companion animals are kept, including in veterinary practices and clinics, awareness of the beneficial implications of a good biosecurity plan has raised. The book Biosecurity in Animal Production and Veterinary Medicine is the first compilation of both fundamental aspects of biosecurity practices, and specific and practical information on the application of the biosecurity measures in different animal production and animal housing settings. The book starts with a general introductory chapter on the epidemiology of infectious diseases, followed by a chapter explaining the general principles of biosecurity. Specific topics of biosecurity, including rodent and insect control, cleaning and disinfection, hygiene and decontamination of feed, drinking water and air, and measuring the biosecurity status of farms, are detailed in dedicated chapters. Explanations on the relevance of the implementation of biosecurity plans in order to improve animal health and performance and reduce antimicrobial usage are described, and a chapter on ways to motivate farmers to implement a biosecurity plan has been included. Practical chapters deal with biosecurity in the poultry, pig and cattle industry, horse facilities, dog kennels, veterinary practices and clinics and laboratory animal facilities. The book is a practical guide that can be used by farm and animal facility managers, consultants, veterinarians, animal caretakers, and people with an interest in prevention of diseases in animals. Academics and students will benefit from the book because it contains all relevant information on animal biosecurity.

    • 1: Circles of Disease Transmission
    • 2: General Principles of Biosecurity in Animal Production and Veterinary Medicine
    • 3: Biosecurity and its Relationship with Health, Production and Antimicrobial Use
    • 4: How to Motivate Farmers to Implement Biosecurity Measures
    • 5: How to measure Biosecurity and the Hygiene Status of Farms
    • 6: Cleaning and Disinfection
    • 7: Hygienic Aspects of Air and Decontamination of Air
    • 8: Feed Hygiene
    • 9: Drinking Water Hygiene and Biosecurity
    • 10: Promoting Biosecurity through Insect Management at Animal Facilities
    • 11: Rodent Control in Animal Production
    • 12: Transmission of Pig Diseases and Biosecurity in Pig Production
    • 13: Transmission of Poultry Diseases and Biosecurity in Poultry Production
    • 14: Transmission of Cattle Diseases and Biosecurity in Cattle Farms
    • 15: Biosecurity for Horse Facilities
    • 16: Biosecurity Measures for Dog Merchants and Canine Breeding Kennels
    • 17: Biosecurity in Veterinary Practices and Clinics
    • 18: Biosecurity in Laboratory Animal Research Facilities
    • 19: Biosecurity in Aquaculture: Practical Veterinary Approaches for Aquatic Animal Disease Prevention, Control, and Potential Eradication

  • Prof. Dr. Jeroen Dewulf

    Is professor in Veterinary Epidemiology at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of the Ghent University. His main research interests are quantitative epidemiology and control of zoonoses with a specific emphasis on antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial use in animal production as well as the prevention of epidemic and endemic diseases with a focus on the application of biosecurity measures.

    Prof Dr. Filip Van Immerseel

    Is professor at the Department of Pathology, Bacteriology and Avian Diseases at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Ghent University in Belgium. Being a scientist with a research group on host-bacterium interactions in animals, he has specific interest in prophylaxis of infectious diseases. His group already published over 175 international papers on intestinal health and diseases in production animals and is involved in a variety of research projects on alternatives to antibiotics. He is lecturer of Biosecurity and Hygiene for veterinary students.

Veterinary Clinics of North America
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