Biosecurity as Welfare: Disease Prevention in Livestock

Good biosecurity prevents the introduction of diseases that cause significant welfare suffering; biosecurity investment protects animal welfare while also protecting farm economics.

Key Facts

Over 80% of new disease introductions to farms occur through animal movements
Quarantine periods for incoming animals significantly reduce disease introduction risk
Footbaths, restricted visitor access, and clean vehicle protocols reduce environmental pathogen load
Some of the most welfare-significant livestock diseases including BVD and IBR are preventable through biosecurity

Welfare Considerations

Biosecurity is a welfare investment that prevents diseases that cause significant acute and chronic suffering. Bovine viral diarrhoea, for example, causes immunosuppression, reproductive failure, and the birth of persistently infected calves that suffer chronically and act as disease reservoirs. Preventing its introduction through quarantine and testing protocols eliminates this welfare burden entirely. The same principle applies across livestock species — disease prevention through biosecurity is more welfare-effective than treatment after introduction.

What You Can Do

Support farms implementing evidence-based biosecurity programmes
Advocate for disease monitoring and biosecurity requirements in livestock welfare assurance standards
Raise awareness that disease prevention is a welfare intervention with benefits that compound over time