At this moment, everybody in the world is under the spell of the coronavirus outbreak which has already caused many casualties and economic damage. An invisible enemy is disturbing daily life all over the globe and everybody is making every effort to control this pandemic. However, viruses are a part of human and animal history.
We have recently seen an increase in virus pressure driven by rising global temperatures and population growth. The global human population is expected to increase from approximately 6.5 billion in 2008 to approximately 9.2 billion by 2050 (UNDP 2008). Another driver of the virus outbreak is the greater concentration of the population is urban communities. The spread of viruses is also unprecedented due to the increase in intercontinental traffic.
We have also witnessed these different parameters in the intensive livestock industry in the last 10 to 20 years. The rise in the number of animals, upscaling and consolidation of farms and the movement of animals across borders has made the sector more susceptible to outbreaks and the rapid transmission and spread of diseases. A good example of such an outbreak was the classical swine fever outbreak between 1997 and 1998 in the Netherlands. The southern part of the country was hit especially hard by the outbreak.
Dark purple = surveillance area
Black dots = Outbreak
It was estimated that the total costs reached €2.5 billon with the destruction of 1300 herds and the culling of millions of animals. The pre-emptive culling of healthy herds in the exclusion zone was an aspect that caused particular public protest.
The idea that you can end this problem once and for all is an illusion. Preventing a virus decease outbreak starts by preventing sick animals from entering your farm. Cleaning is another important factor. It cannot be stressed enough that cleaning is part of the solution. Most of the biocides that have a viral efficacy pass the test when they show a log 4 reduction. A log 4 means in practice that 99.99% of the viruses will be eliminated. When you start with an amount of, for example, a hundred thousand then there are still 10 viruses left. Cleaning with Intra Power Foam as a first step will remove roughly 99% of the pathogens. This is also called the sanitising step, and is followed by the disinfecting step using Intra Multi- Des GA. Combining these two steps gives you a powerful tool to fight infections.
We’ve already gained a lot of expertise in battling persistent virus outbreaks. Now that the world is facing the consequences of the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus, we see that “Quality really matters”. For too long, the price per litre was often the only -and most important -parameter when treating diseases on infected farms, but these lessons in practice show that it is worth examining the quality of cleaning and disinfecting products if you want to do the job properly! In this case, Intracare will always win because we guarantee the best products for 100% effective hygiene control on your farm.
By Carly Vulders - Director R&D
Intracare recently opened its own Covid Screening Facility for all employees and their families. This screening facility enables us to stay in control of contamination risks within Intracare’s working environment.
Our latest contribution in Dairy Global's article about Udder Cleft Dermatitis (UCD) treatment. Recent research showed a very positive effect with our Intra Repiderma spray. Thanks to Jessie Hesseling for our joint effort.
Eastern Bell, our Intra Hoof-fit partner in the Chinese dairy industry, organised a successful live stream for dairy groups, farmers, hoof trimmers and veterinarians.
Over 9.000 customers participated in this webinar. During a 1.5 hours deep dive session a varied programme with many different themes were discussed.
Following the spread of Covid-19, it is more important than ever to carry out a disinfection and deep cleaning of public areas such as hotels, schools, offices, shops, workplaces, etc.
As we have seen over recent months, the virus can spread quick and easy, so it is important that we do everything to assure a safe place for customers, students, staff etc.
A dedicated commitment to best possible biosecurity ensures us to protect our animals against infection by pathogens. With our Intra Hygiene Programme, Intracare provides essential tools to battle pathogens, seize opportunities and take on challenges for ultimate hygiene levels on farms and production facilities.
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