The federal government has launched a national awareness campaign focused on farm management practices that help keep livestock healthy.
“This campaign will remind farmers that farm-level biosecurity is the best investment they can make to maintain the health of their animals’ and business,” southern Ontario MP Larry Miller said in a release Friday.
As part of the Animal Health Awareness Campaign, developed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), farmers across Canada will receive tips and information about biosecurity measures.
As well, the government said, farmers will be encouraged to “revisit their biosecurity plans, continue to observe their animals for signs of illness and regularly consult with their veterinarians on the health of their animals.”
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The CFIA developed the campaign and national biosecurity standards, protocols and strategies for livestock, poultry and aquaculture production in collaboration with producer organizations, provincial governments and academia.
Biosecurity, CFIA said on its site, refers to measures that prevent the introduction and spread of contagious diseases.
“For the best results,” CFIA said, biosecurity measures should be in place wherever animals are present, including farms, auction markets, ag fairs, research labs and international borders.
Biosecurity planning, the agency said, “helps to ensure that practices routinely carried out on your farm are beneficial to animal health.”
