How to Create A Biosecure Livestock Transportation Trailer

Dr. Sarah: Hi, welcome to our Take 5 lesson on Trailer Biosecurity: Part 1.

A special thanks to our Take 5 Sponsor: Neogen®.

One of the highest risk for disease spread is transport. Today, we are going to create a trailer sanctuary by cleaning, disinfecting, and drying a trailer for livestock.

I want to introduce you to a biosecurity expert, Dr. Andrea Pitkin from PIC.

Oh hi, Dr. Pitkin!

Dr. Pitkin: Hey, Sara, thanks for having me today.

Dr. Sarah: It's great to see you!

Dr. Pitkin: You as well!

Dr. Sarah: Introducing a novel disease to a farm could be a million-dollar mistake. One that we don't want to make! Dr. Pitkin can you help us out?

Dr. Pitkin: Absolutely! Very happy to help!

Dr. Sarah: Right now hundreds of thousands of trailers and trucks are on the road traversing the U.S. transporting livestock. Fortunately, have effective products that help us clean, disinfect, and dry trucks and trailers to create a safe sanctuary for transport.

First things first! Take care of yourself!

Dr. Pitkin: Personal protective equipment is so important in the process of getting our trailers clean. We have Zach here demonstrating the proper equipment with rubber boots, waterproof suit, gloves, and earplugs.

Eye protection is also recommended. Even though I know the goggles can get foggy, you should be conscientious of your eyes as well.

Dr. Sarah: Step 1: Clean. All organic matter must be power washed or swept out of the trailer. Some truck bays will mist the trailers prior to power washing this helps loosen up the organic matter. After power washing we'll remove the biofilm with a high foaming detergent like Barnstorm.

Dr. Pitkin: You want to pay special attention to making sure you get behind the hinges, in the doors, any nooks and crannies that the organic material can hide in.

Once you've done that, it's important to remember the other equipment that you have. So, we have Zach here with sort boards and a shaker panel. It's really important to get those cleaned and disinfected as well.

Dr. Sarah: As we clean we want to keep our eyes open for ice.

Dr. Pitkin: Viruses love cold weather. They can survive for months even years when frozen so it's really important during the winter months to make sure you get all the snow in the ice out of your trailer because that can be a harboring zone for viruses especially.

Dr. Sarah: You know those tire treads look like they could carry a few viruses too.

Dr. Pitkin: Yeah, so tires are really important to focus on too because that's the way we can bring viruses or bacteria from farm A to farm B. It's really important to get those clean so we don't spread disease.

Dr. Sarah: Let's go clean that cab!

Dr. Pitkin: Right now we're in a dirty cab. What's important is some tips on how we can set up that cab to keep it as clean as possible.

Dr. Sarah: Keep all your clean equipment separate from your dirty equipment. When you begin cleaning, dispose of your dirty equipment. Later on we will disinfect your cab.

Dr. Sarah: Step 2: Disinfect. Today we are mixing Synergize in a twelve hundred gallon drum mix no more than one ounce per gallon this is more concentrated than the label but we are applying to a wet surface.

Dr. Pitkin: A good analogy for the situation is like the three little bears. We don't want it too hot. We don't want it too cold. We want it just right. If we over dilute our sample, there's not going to be enough disinfectant supplied and it's not going to get an adequate kill on the viruses or the bacteria that are there. We don't want to overmix either because if animals get exposed to the disinfectant that can be harmful to them. So it's important to get it just right.

Dr. Sarah: Now it's time to apply disinfectant.

Dr. Pitkin: Disinfection is the first phase of viral and bacterial killing. We need to make sure that there are no pathogens left behind. So getting those last few particles out will help us prevent a million-dollar mistake.

Dr. Sarah: Again, focus on corner,s hinges, gating. Synergize needs at least 10 minutes to provide optimal kill. We will have more than that prior to drying. Dr. Pitkin what do we need to disinfect in the cab?

Dr. Pitkin: So important areas to be concerned about are our steering wheel, making sure to get all the way around the edges and where you've touched.

Dr. Sarah: You know those Companion™ wipes look like they are working well you can really see where you've already disinfected so you don't miss a spot. What else do we need to disinfect?

Dr. Pitkin: The door handle. Any type of grab bar on the door. Shifter. Call radio. And even certain parts on the dash: potentially the radio, brakes, and other surfaces. Being conscientious of disinfecting your floorboards and your pedals is a really important step to keeping your cab clean.

Dr. Sarah: Step 3: Dry. Drying is the final step of getting your truck clean and safe for the next load. Some truck washes air dry but at this truck wash, we are using high temperatures in a drying bay to kill off the last pathogens.

Dr. Pitkin: So typically trailers will bake from at least 10 minutes to possibly up to 20 minutes. It depends on temperature which normally ranges from at least 120 degrees even up to 160 degrees get an adequate kill on any viral or bacterial particles.

Dr. Sarah: When the truck is dry you're ready to bed.

Dr. Pitkin: It doesn't do us any good to put dirty shavings into a clean trailer, so it's really important to have your shaving stored where they can be clean, where they can be protected from the elements and close to the drying bay so that when the drying process is complete they can be put right in and ready for the next shipment.

Dr. Sarah: Biosecurity pertains to you, your truck and your farm. Help us prevent a million-dollar mistake. Don't be dirty!

Dr. Pitkin: Biosecurity doesn't cost, it pays.

Dr. Sarah: Thanks for joining us for today's Take Five!