Disease prevention in tilapia farming is essential for both welfare and production sustainability. Biosecurity measures and emerging vaccination options are transforming disease management.
Tilapia experiencing bacterial and viral disease suffer significant welfare impacts including lethargy, abnormal swimming, and high mortality. Disease outbreaks that cause mass mortality represent welfare emergencies. Prevention through biosecurity is both more effective and more welfare-friendly than disease treatment after the fact. Fish that die from preventable disease suffer unnecessarily, making biosecurity investment a direct welfare imperative.