The use of a physical barrier at the barn entry will soon be mandatory on all Canadian chicken farms. More information about the new requirement can be found on this page. There are a few key factors that led to the decision to update this requirement – let’s review them here.

The impact of avian influenza

The poultry sector has been through four straight years of the current avian influenza outbreak, resulting in operational, trade and mitigation costs.  The animal health, trade and business costs to farmers, the federal government, and all sector stakeholders, is immense. 

Scientific research

Research has shown that current barn entrance practices are not always optimal, that there are major disease and economic consequences to these breaches, and that having a stronger barn entrance protocol can help reduce the incursions of viruses and bacteria. A more detailed summary of scientific findings related to physical barriers and their benefits can be found here.

A “clearly identified line” is no longer sufficient

The current minimum standard of a clearly identified line to separate the clean and dirty areas may have been a visual reminder, but it is not effective at keeping Controlled Access Zone and Restricted Area footwear well separated, nor does it prevent organic matter from moving from one zone to the other across the line. A study on Canadian poultry farms found that there was a five to nine times greater chance of respecting areas at the entrance and exit when there was a physical barrier compared to a line (Racicot et al., 2012).

CFIA reports from infected premises

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has collected data on all infected premises throughout the outbreak and has identified key opportunities for improvement. The highest priority was for improvements to barn entrances given the ability for cross-contamination between the two zones based on their design and use.

Incursion of avian influenza into barns

Avian influenza can enter a barn via physical movement (e.g. via personnel, equipment or pests) or through windborne spread. While there is no silver bullet solution for preventing avian influenza, it is in the best interest of the sector to implement a properly designed and used physical barrier to limit these hazards to the flock.

Creating a physical barrier

In many cases building a physical barrier will be straightforward. However, it is understood that this will be a larger change for some farms that will require more time and/or construction. There are many different solutions, as each barn will require its own design based on the amount of space and the entry protocol. To help with this, a series of videos and factsheets are available that demonstrate the proper entrance protocol and different types of design options.

Funding Option

If you have a farm where construction will be required to implement the physical barrier, funding may be available to you through the Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program. Biosecurity enhancements are allowable expenses of the Poultry and Egg On-Farm Investment Program.

Reference

Racicot M, Venne D, Durivage A, Vaillancourt JP. Evaluation of strategies to enhance biosecurity compliance on poultry farms in Québec: Effect of audits and cameras. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2012; (103) 208-218.