Biosecurity and Risk Management for Dairy Replacements

Biosecurity, biocontainment, and disease risk management on dairy replacement operations are time- and labor-intensive, planned programs. Oftentimes the value of these programs is realized only after disease is introduced to a facility or a disease outbreak occurs. There is no “one-plan-fits-all;” each plan must be tailored to meet the needs of management's goals and expectations and problems specific to a production enterprise or geographic region. A standard framework applicable to biosecurity programs includes: (1) hazard identification, (2) exposure assessment, (3) risk characterization, and (4) risk management. The discussion presented here helps lay the framework for development and implementation of biosecurity and risk-management programs within dairy replacement facilities.