Biosecurity and Health Checklists
Download: Texas Dairy Biosecurity Best Practices
This page offers no downloadable protocol. It gives a practical biosecurity checklist for a Texas dairy and points to the official agencies that issue current guidance.
What is biosecurity on a dairy?
Biosecurity is the set of habits that keep disease out of your herd and stop it from spreading if it gets in. It is about managing the movement of animals, people, equipment, feed and water.
Official guidance comes from APHIS and the Texas Animal Health Commission, and rules can change during outbreaks. Check those pages for current requirements.
No plan is perfect. The aim is to reduce risk at the points where it is highest and cheapest to control, and to keep improving.
Animals coming in
New cattle are the highest risk. Buy from sources you trust, ask about health history and test as your vet recommends. Keep newcomers separate for a period before they join the herd.
Keep records of origin, dates and health status. If something goes wrong, those records help officials trace the problem quickly.
If a sale barn or show is part of your routine, think carefully about what you bring back. Animals returning from a mixed group need isolation like any other newcomer.
Calves are especially vulnerable, so keep calf areas separate from adult cow traffic and use dedicated tools where you can.
People and vehicles
Visitors, haulers, feed trucks, vets and relief milkers can carry disease on boots, clothes and tires. Set a single entry point, keep a visitor log and provide boots or covers where needed. Decide which areas are off limits.
Make the rules clear with signs, and train staff to politely enforce them. A visitor who understands why is more likely to cooperate.
For neighbors and family who stop by often, explain the rules kindly in person. A short conversation works better than a sign that nobody reads.
Consider where feed deliveries unload and where the truck turns around. Small changes to traffic routes can keep dirty tires away from cow areas.
- Single entry and visitor log
- Clean boots or covers
- Wash and disinfect shared equipment
- Keep trucks off the cow area
- Train staff on the rules
Cleaning, pests and water
Clean and disinfect equipment that moves between pens or farms. Control flies, rodents and wild birds as far as practical, and manage standing water. Dead animal disposal should follow state rules and be done away from the herd.
The TCEQ and TAHC explain disposal rules. Check them for what is allowed in Texas.
Disinfectants work only on clean surfaces, so remove manure and dirt first, and follow label directions for contact time.
Hoof trimmers, nutritionists and other service people move between dairies, so give them the same boot and equipment rules as every other visitor.
Protecting people too
Some diseases can pass between animals and people, so personal hygiene and protective gear matter. The CDC offers guidance, and the farm safety guide covers gloves, masks and handwashing.
Know who to call if someone gets sick and tell your doctor about animal contact.
Mention to employees and family that illness symptoms should be reported early, and to see a doctor and mention animal contact if they feel sick.
Wild birds and rodents drawn to spilled feed are an easy target. Keep feed tidy, cover storage and fix gaps in buildings.
Planning for a sick animal
Decide ahead of time who calls the vet, who isolates the animal, who tells the buyer and who talks to officials. Post those names and numbers where staff can see them. Think about how you would stop milking line cross traffic if you needed to.
Keep a small kit with gloves, coveralls, disinfectant and tags in one place. In an emergency you will not want to hunt for supplies. Review it each season and replace anything expired.
Think about whether your plan covers relief milkers and temporary workers, who might move between farms and need clear rules on day one.
Write it down and practice it
A written plan that everyone has seen is much better than good intentions. Review it twice a year with your vet and your crew, and test it with a drill. What would you do if a sick animal were found tomorrow morning?
Your AgriLife Extension office can help with templates. Over at farm.FM the dairy section and news page follow animal health stories, and a farm.FM story on dairy biosecurity offers more context. See also the dairy herd guide.
Update contact numbers for the vet, buyer and agencies in your plan every few months.
Sources and further reading
- USDA APHIS: animal and plant health
- Texas Animal Health Commission: animal disease rules
- CDC: public health
- TCEQ: Texas environmental regulator
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: Texas extension service
- FDA: food and drug safety
Ask locally: Ask your herd vet and the Texas Animal Health Commission about current biosecurity recommendations and testing.