Top 5 Biosecurity Best Practices
At Cobb, biosecurity means preventing the introduction and spread of disease or contamination among our flocks. Even so, it’s so much more than a set of rules and procedures – it’s a part of who we are, a part of our culture.
“Our definition of biosecurity is simple,” said Kyle Traeger, World Quality Assurance (QA) Manager at Cobb. “If you break the word down into its parts, ‘bio’ means life and ‘security’ means protection. Not only are we protecting our birds’ lives, but we’re protecting our people, customers, and livelihoods as well.”
That’s why we’ve implemented procedures and standards that keep our birds healthy and safe. Below, Kyle shares Cobb’s top five biosecurity best practices:
Bird Compliance
As part of their employment agreement, team members and growers are not allowed to own or interact with any live birds outside of Cobb facilities. If any accidental contact does occur, then they are required to report the incident to their manager to assess the risk.
On-Facility Showers
Before entering any chicken facility – whether it’s our pedigree farms, production farms or hatcheries – every employee and guest is required to take a five-minute shower, including shampooing their hair and using a scrub brush, to thoroughly remove any potential contaminant. After showering, everyone must wear Cobb-provided clothing and footwear inside the facility.
Integrated Pest Management
Cobb’s multi-faceted pest control system includes monitoring and treating for all rodents and insects in and around Cobb facilities. Cobb has a zero tolerance policy for any rodent activity inside chicken houses. All facilities are designed to discourage entry of any unwanted pest.
Complete House Clean Out (HCO)
Between each flock, Cobb performs a complete HCO. This means removing all organic material – litter, feathers, dust – then scrubbing down every single surface in the facility. All Cobb structures have cement floors, which are easier to clean and disinfect. QA programs include testing of samples taken from the facility to ensure proper cleanliness standards have been achieved. This process takes several weeks before a new flock is placed.
Quality Compliance and Training
Cobb requires all team members and growers to comply with our biosecurity principles. Training is an integral part of communicating why biosecurity is so important and we work hard to make our procedures practical and easy to follow. Through internal auditing, we regularly verify that employees are following these policies and procedures.
“Biosecurity is a team effort. It takes everyone doing everything right to prevent our birds from being exposed to disease or contamination,” said Dr. Aldo Rossi, World Director of Quality Assurance and Veterinarian Services. “Biosecurity has truly become part of the fabric of our culture. Without it, it’s just a piece of paper.”
We prioritize biosecurity at Cobb because we believe in protecting the health and safety of our flocks and the end product for our customers. It is part of our DNA.
Source Credit - http://www.cobb-vantress.com/academy/articles/article/academy/2017/04/04/cobbs-top-5-biosecurity-best-practices
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