The biosecurity task in Baltic Compass is focusing on animal farms and risks of runoff of pathogens and pharmaceuticals from manure to the Baltic Sea. Baltic Compass Work package 5 will estimate risks of intensive animal production on ecosystem health by investigations of transmission of zoonotic pathogens from farms to surface water and measurements of veterinary pharmaceuticals in surface water in the vicinity of farms. The biosecurity issue will thus be tackled at both river basin level and on farm level.
The general trend towards more intensive and industrialised agriculture in Europe has a profound impact on the environment, including emissions water and pollution due to large-scale use of pesticides. Biosecurity in agriculture and the agrifood sector has recently become very topical in all Europe (e.g. spread of avian influenza in 2005). Biosecurity can be defined as the protection of production (including agricultural and food production), the environment and human health against various kinds of pathogens, weeds and pests.
Baltic Compass project is planning sampling of farms for zoonotic and other infectious agents that cause diseases in domestic animals. The term zoonosis refers to infectious diseases that can be transmitted naturally between wild or domestic animals and humans. Many zoonotic pathogens can remain viable in animal wastes and contaminated soils for long periods of time. Therefore, surface water protection from animal wastes applied to fields remains an extremely important step in preventing dispersion of waterborne zoonotic microorganisms.
Baltic Compass will investigate zoonotic pathogens for example Salmonella, Campylobacts, VTEC (E. coli) and standard parameters indicating fecal contamination. Pharmaceuticals, such as antibiotics, will also be investigated in surface water in the vicinity of farms.
Baltic Compass will select river basin areas based on nutrient high-risk analysis and and the presence of large animal farms. Samples will be taken near the location of the largest animal farms, upstream, and at the outlet of the river basin. On farm level, farms will be selected based on previous salmonella outbreaks and biosecurity “hot-spots”.
The first sampling will be done in Sweden and Finland, possibly during summer 2011. Overall Baltic Compass will sample both water and manure and will develop a sampling procedure that can be applied in other Baltic Sea region countries during 2012.
Baltic Compass is engaged in a discussion with Russian organisations to develop a concept for strengthened cooperation combining the protection of the Baltic Sea with actions to reduce biosecurity risks in large-scale animal operations and to improve the economic efficiency and sustainability in agriculture. Baltic Compass and Sida has two ongoing biosecurity project.
1. Biosecurity hot spots - large animal farms in Russia
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Project owner: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedicine and Veterinary Public Health Division Department (BVF)
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Contactperson SLU Leif Norrgren, tel: +4618671206
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E-mail: leif.norrgren@bvf.slu.se, www.slu.se
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedicine and Veterinary Public Health Division will in a feasibility study answer; What are the risks of infectious animal diseases and food safety in large animal farms that are agricultural hot spots in Kaliningrad and St Petersburg region in Russia.
2. Antibiotic resistance and zoonotic infections- emerging threats for animal welfare and public health
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Project owner: Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Biomedicine and Veterinary Public Health Division Department (BVF)
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Contactperson SLU Leif Norrgren, tel: +4618671206
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E-mail: leif.norrgren@bvf.slu.se, www.slu.se
The key question in this project is ”If and to which extent can zoonotic antibiotic resistant bacteria be detected in animal farms and in their environmental surroundings and then consequently constitute a threat towards animal- and human health”.
