Are there similar operations nearby?
Increasing the distance between farms can help to reduce the risk of spreading disease. The farther away that livestock facilities are from each other, the lower the risk of getting a disease from a neighboring farm. It is difficult to set a universally appropriate safe distance between animal operations. However, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in its Good Practices for Biosecurity in the Pig Sector publication states that: “A secure distance between farms will depend on different variables, such as farm size, pathogen load, pathogen resistance to the air, climatic conditions and local geography.”
UNL provides a Biosecurity of Pigs and Farm Security guide, which suggests a minimum distance between swine farms of 2 miles, mainly to limit aerosol and airborne spread of diseases. Also, distance helps to reduce the risk of disease moving between farms that is transferred by animal pests or wildlife.
Good biosecurity practices on the farm is even more important if there are similar operations nearby. Identify the risks and potential vehicles for disease to spread as a part of an efficient biosecurity plan.
Additional Resources
Set distances for poultry houses from Mississippi State Extension
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