As a holistic, natural facility, we don't rely on chemical medications to treat common illnesses. Our first line of defense is to keep our animal's immune systems strong and overall health in optimal condition. This allows them to fight off the many things out there that can quickly take an animal down. We know that bio-security procedures won't prevent us from ever having any issue, but it certainly is a piece of the pie. Here's what you need to know and how you can help if you are visiting Porky Pastures! What is biosecurity?Before we go into all of the things that we do to protect our animals from bio-hazards, we thought it important to explain what biosecurity means. The Virginia Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services explains it well on their site. Here's what they say: Biosecurity is the protection of agricultural animals from any type of infectious agent—viral, bacterial, fungal or parasitic. People can spread diseases as they move within a facility and from one facility to another. Animals or equipment introduced into a facility can bring pathogens with them. Among the many biosecurity procedures that can prevent these types of disease transmission are such measures as use of protective clothing, waiting periods for new animals and visitors and cleaning. Now, here's what we do:1. Restricted AccessWe don't allow guests, neighbors, or even friends to enter the livestock areas. Too much risk! There are a few exceptions to this and when it's necessary, we follow strict rules. 2. Rules for Access
3. Quarantine incoming animals.We rarely bring in new animals. (Except this week where I was a total sucker and accepted 2 milk breed ewe lambs...2 super awesome geese, and a small flock of Bresse chickens.... but usually.... we don't bring in new animals...🤷🏻♀️) When we do add animals to the farm, they must be quarantined. This includes being housed away from all other animals, using separate equipment such as buckets, pans, etc, and washing up between touching new animals and established ones. The length of time varies based on a few different factors but typically lasts around 30-45 days. A 60 day quarantine isn't uncommon for us. We'd love to discuss this topic further and answer any questions that you have! Leave a comment here or on our FB page and we'll gladly respond and discuss.
-Christina, Co-Owner of Porky Pastures
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AuthorHey there! Christina here. My husband, Tom & I own the farm and we're so grateful to have you here. Thanks for reading and for supporting our farm! Archives
March 2024
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