Use separate housing, feeding and birthing areas.

Prevent contact with other animals.

Prevent manure movement from the isolation area to the rest of the herd.

Isolate for 21 to 30 days

Observe and examine for early disease detection.

Milk isolated cows last.

Test for diseases before adding new cattle to the main herd.

Know the source of purchases and screen for disease using laboratory testing.

Use laboratory-testing programs to maintain minimal disease herds or disease-free herd status. 

You can take steps to prepare your farm so you can effectively quarantine or isolate animals.

▪️Purchase pregnant or unbred heifers to minimize the risk of introducing mastitis.

▪️Determine the vaccination and health status of individuals and the herd of origin.

▪️Purchase from herds of known health status.

▪️ Separate pre-weaned dairy calves from all other age groups.

▪️ House each dairy calf in an individual pen or hutch.

▪️Place hutches away from dairy barn.

▪️  House 4 to 8-month-old dairy calves in small groups separate from older heifers.

▪️House yearling and breeding age dairy heifers separately.

▪️ Separate replacement heifers from cows.

▪️ Separate dry dairy cows from milking cows.

▪️ Milk mastitic, treated, or sick cows last, and disinfect the milking claw between such animals.

▪️Designate specific areas of your farm to be used for quarantine or isolation. You could require several areas at one time, for example:

A. A quarantine area for newly arriving/returning animals

B. An isolation area for animals in quarantine which develop disease

C. An isolation area for resident animals which become sick

◾These areas should:

1. Be as far as possible from all other animals

2. Be completely separate buildings with separate airspace, and double-fenced grazings

3. Use separate equipment, if possible.

4. Have separate feed, water, drainage supplies and bedding.

5. Food should be consumed only at designated areas in the QS and left-overs should be disposed.

6. Be adequately lit to allow effective inspection of animals

7. Disinfectant footbaths placed at the isolation area entrance act as barriers to disease:

8. Keep these clean and topped up regularly with approved disinfectant at appropriate dilution

 ➡️Husbandry and animal care practices:

When managing animals that are in quarantine and isolation day-to-day

1. Make all farm staff fully aware of recommended separation procedures

2. Best practice is for separate staff to take responsibility for tending animals in quarantine or isolation, using separate Personal Protective Equipment

➡️Where it is not possible to use separate staff:

a. Use separate Personal Protective Equipment.

b. Tend to these animals last, after healthy animals.

c. Always disinfect or change Personal Protective Equipment after the tending routine is complete.

d. Inspect animals in quarantine regularly and look closely for signs of disease.

e. If you identify signs of disease or suspicious contact your vet immediately regarding diagnosis, treatment and future management.

f. Inspect animals in isolation regularly, monitor closely and report progress.

g. Take care when handling and disposing of contaminated bedding, waste and feed.

Veterinary advice is required on specific aspects of quarantine and isolation

h. All animals or birds intended for slaughter must be sent direct to the designated slaughter houses after being released from the quarantine station.

i. Treat all purchased animals for external and internal parasites.