Biosecurity is not one-size-fits-all. Biosecurity plans should be customized for each facility to take into account all aspects that can affect horse health. Below are links to resources that can help you customize your biosecurity plan, as well as tips on how to keep your facility disease free.
Basic equine facility biosecurity guidelines can be found here.
To determine the risk of infectious disease spread use this Biosecurity Risk Calculator provided by Equine Guelph. Once completed, you will also be provided with specific recommendations to improve biosecurity on your facility.
Here is a checklist of general recommendations for a biosecurity program:
- Allow only healthy horses to enter the facility. Require a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI, also called a Health Certificate) from an accredited veterinarian within 14 days prior to arrival. This timeframe may change based on risk level for new arrivals. All horses should be required to be vaccinated based on risk level.
- Examine all new arrivals for signs of contagious disease and appropriate documentation listed above promptly upon entry.
- Isolate new arrivals to prevent contact with resident horses. The period of isolation should be at least 7 to 14 days for horses arriving from a facility with minimal perceived risk.
- Immediately Isolate any horse on the property suspected of having a contagious disease, such as respiratory infection, diarrhea or fever of unknown origin.
- Vaccinate all resident horses. Use AAEP Guidelines for Vaccination (adult horses and foals) to include core and risk-based vaccines.
- All horses on the property should be observed daily for signs of infectious disease.
- Separate pregnant mares from all other horses on the property, especially horses that travel frequently to other equine venues (e.g., shows, racetracks).
- Vehicles and people are potential sources of infectious organisms. Limit access of visitors to an equine facility to areas where they would have minimal contact with horses. For key personnel that need to have access to horses, have protocols in place to minimize the risk they pose.
- Use separate/dedicated equipment such as halters, lead ropes, and/or blankets for each horse. Clean shared equipment and disinfect prior to use between horses (remove loose material, then appropriately clean, rinse, dry, and disinfect).