Basic clinical examination of the farm

These notes are provided as an overall guide to the clinical examination of the whole farm. The notes take you through a typical farrowing to finish farm visit

Getting to the farm
Examine the farm records and arrange the visit. This may even be done at the last visit, but needs at least 2 weeks notice	Ensure your own biosecurity is adequate – truck clean. It is imperative that you are not a risk – real or perceived to the farm	Examine the surrounding area for local farms. As you approach the farm – especially on the 1^st visit. Drive around the farm locality.
The locality of the farm will have a significant impact on the presence of diseases on the farm
Entering the farm
Walk the farm’s outer perimeter, ensuring that the perimeter is secure. Note areas which can be improved – can feed trucks be kept off?	Examine the entry facilities, does the klaxon or horn work and attract attention. Are restriction notices clear?	Abide by farm biosecurity rules. Ensure that the biosecurity notices are well posed.
Use farm’s outer clothing. As an absolute minimum do not wear our own outer-clothing, always wear farm clothing or disposable overalls.	In addition to farm outer clothing, boots or protective foot wear should be provided by the farm	Discuss farm targets and expectations in the farm office. In particular review pig flow and all-in/all-out. Sign the visitors book

Medicine check
Check cold medicine storage include max/min thermometer. The fridge must run at 2-8C. Freezing of vaccines will cause inactivation.	Check warm medicine storage Hygiene and medicine use. Many antibiotics have a max. storage temperature of 25C. This may be difficult in the summer	Check needle, syringe and disposal systems. Medicine products must be kept away from children at all times. Disposal through the routine trash is not acceptable
Teeth clippers and other instruments used in processing. Ensure all protocols are followed.	Injection techniques the picture shows a neck abscess	Pig identification systems including pre-slaughter. Look for evidence of poor pig identification which can falsify records
Farm building examination – for each building an overall check is required
Check outside the of the buildings
Outside security. Rodent control is a vital part of disease control. Ensure there are no rodent access points. Are rodent boxes full of bait?	Outside Ventilation system. The inlets and outlets need to be visually inspected from the outside. Bird nest and obstructions are common findings	Feed may be stored in a variety of places. Commonly bulk feed is stored in a bin. Climb up to the top of the bin and examine the bin’s hygiene and cleaning protocols?
Vermin control – rodents, birds, flies and pets	Examine pigs without entering building	Room biosecurity. Foot baths need to be clean
Note the sleeping pattern of the undisturbed pigs. Quietly enter the room and observe any biosecurity arrangements
Enter building
Review the basic environmental necessities. This needs the clinician to understand the basic husbandry requirements of water, food, floor and air for each age group of pig. The clinical examination of stock is covered in detail next. The clinician must realize that the level of investigation expected of the stock is the same required to investigate the environment.
Water	Feed	Floor
Air	Stock – healthy and sick pigs	Stockpeople/pig behavior
Progressively examine the farm using the above scheme for each building The farm walk needs a protocol. The following is a suggested walk to minimise the spread of potential disease pathogens by following the pig flow from birth to finish.
Farrowing area	Sow breeding area	Gilt breeding area
AI storage area	Gestation area	Hot Nursery
Cold Nursery	Grower	Finisher
Hospital pens/areas	Examine animal loading and entry points	During visit explain your observations to the staff
Dead animal disposal – picture shows composting	Isolation area may need change of clothing etc	Prepare and send the report – within a working week