Does Biosecurity Need an Upgrade?

Friday, May 22, 2026

Why is disease spread increasing?

By Wouter Deley, Hendrix Genetics Swine

The concept of biosecurity has been part of our industry for more than 50 years. Early, simple procedures dramatically improved the sanitary status of farms, regions, and even entire countries. Yet over the past decade, more farms have experienced outbreaks involving aggressive pathogens.

Why is disease spread increasing?

Why are measures that once worked so well now falling short? In other words: Does biosecurity need an upgrade? And if so, how?

Traditional external biosecurity was built on the concept of SANITARY ZONES, most commonly the DIRTY and CLEAN zone separation. This approach significantly improved farm hygiene and even allowed entire countries and regions to eradicate major pathogens such as FMD, CSF, PED, Brucellosis, and PRV. However, when new pathogens emerged, existing protocols proved insufficient. Viruses like PRRS and PCV2 spread worldwide within months, and recently we’ve seen the return of pathogens previously eradicated!

So why is a tool that once served us well now struggling to meet current challenges? Multiple factors are at play.

Historical challenges

Most major disease eradication successes occurred in the latter half of the 20th century, when strong scientific research provided the industry with effective tools. Deep understanding of pathogen biology and epidemiology enabled the development of national and regional control programs, supported by effective vaccines that reduced infection pressure.

These early achievements took place in a small number of countries whose livestock industries were just beginning to professionalize. Global connections were limited, and the sanitary status of distant regions had little impact on them. Today, however, the world is fully interconnected. Even regions with low infection pressure remain vulnerable, as any link to areas facing significant sanitary challenges can undermine disease control efforts worldwide.

Geographical & cultural challenges

As the swine industry expanded globally, several complicating factors emerged:

• Countries with limited industry knowledge rapidly increased animal numbers;
• Many of these regions lacked — and in some cases still lack — national or regional disease control programs;
• Strong traditions of backyard farming persisted, undermining coordinated sanitary efforts.

These conditions reduce the industry’s ability to respond effectively to sanitary threats. So, over time, several factors that helped to stop diseases in the past are not present anymore or have become less efficient. National control or eradication programs are lacking in various countries, and decent vaccinations are not always available.

Consequently, as one of the few tools left to fight disease, biosecurity is challenged more than ever.

At the same time, we see that the countries where the industry is more consolidated and experienced also face major challenges.

These countries will need to realize that the overall infection pressure towards their production units has been raised, and consequently, the biosecurity measures that were sufficient in the past are not as effective now.

Biosecurity is challenged: Upgrade needed

Biosecurity plan: Biosecurity must be built into the business plan of every production unit. Location, facility design, workflow, and animal flow all need to be evaluated through a bio-security lens, with major risk factors identified and corrected.

Principle of sanitary zones: While sanitary zones remain essential, the traditional two-zone DIRTY/CLEAN model is no longer enough.

No disinfection method — aside from incineration — achieves 100 per cent effectiveness. A single disinfection step cannot guarantee that objects entering the CLEAN zone are fully safe; each step only reduces, not eliminates, risk. By repeating disinfection across multiple sanitary zones, we progressively dilute infection pressure. With only two zones, this reduction is insufficient. For this reason, Hendrix Genetics Swine has adopted a minimum of three sanitary zones to maintain effective biosecurity.

1. Restricted Access Zone (RAZ): The RAZ of the farm corresponds to the area where the production units or barns are located. This area is controlled by a gate, restricted lane, signage, fence, or a combination of these. Only farm-owned materials and pigs that belong to the unit — or have completed quarantine — may enter.

Access is limited to farm staff and approved visitors who meet downtime requirements and shower/change before entry. Only RAZ-dedicated transport may operate inside; no external vehicles are allowed.

2. Controlled Access Zone (CAZ): The CAZ is the interface between the RAZ and the dirty zone, serving as a buffer for controlled interactions. It often includes areas like parking, office space, and feed storage.

3. Dirty zone: Everything outside the RAZ and CAS is considered contaminated. External transport may enter only as far as this zone.

The number of sanitary zones should increase depending on the regional sanitary risk.

How to upgrade

Keep it simple.

The global swine industry faces a shortage of experienced personnel, leading to high turnover and many workers with limited knowledge of pig production and even less of biosecurity. To address this, protocols must be simple, repeatable, and easy to teach.

Hendrix Genetics Swine limits its biosecurity program to a few essential procedures to avoid overwhelming staff with complex, impractical rules. Two core protocol areas are repeated at every sanitary zone entrance:

• PEOPLE: access control for staff and visitors;
• TRANSPORT: entry and exit of animals, semen, feed, deadstock, and other materials.

Because of constant turnover, ongoing training is essential. Hendrix Genetics Swine provides instructional videos to support new staff: hypor.com/en/hypor-video-library/hypor-biosecurity-measures-farms.

Always respect the sanitary zones.

Even well-designed zone systems fail without strict, consistent implementation. There is no such thing as “slightly dirty” or “partially contaminated.” Any uncontrolled contact with a lower-status zone immediately downgrades the higher-status zone.

Biosecurity audits often reveal breaches caused by overlooked or rarely used access points. The challenge is to identify and control every door, pathway, or interaction that could compromise zone integrity.

Do not put too much trust in disinfection.

Disinfection is only effective when the right product is used at the correct dose, temperature, and contact time — and only in the absence of organic material. In reality, these ideal conditions are rarely met. We must avoid assuming that an object is “safe” simply because it was disinfected.

Key questions should always be:

• Does the object truly need to enter?
• If so, to which sanitary zone does it need to go?
• Do we repeat disinfection actions at each zone?

This is especially relevant for animal transport, the industry’s highest-risk activity for disease spread. Although strict protocols have improved trailer hygiene and most animals arrive with their original health status, this success can create a false sense of security.

Hendrix Genetics Swine therefore prohibits any external truck from contacting the Restricted Access Zone. “Clean” refers only to the inside of the trailer — we cannot control the cab, the truck exterior, or the route it travelled. In practice, a “clean truck always remains dirty,” underscoring the need for strict loading and unloading protocols at the farm level.

Is maintaining a high sanitary status still possible?

Today’s sanitary challenges often need to be faced in the absence of national/regional programs and reliable vaccination or treatment options. At the same time, the industry faces chronic labour shortages and pressure to scale up production.

Is longterm, profitable production still possible without recurring disease crises?

Experience from Hendrix Genetics Swine shows that it is. By rigorously applying updated biosecurity principles and ensuring correct implementation, large systems can remain disease-free for years.

Success depends on professionalism: aligning production expertise with biosecurity expertise to design systems that work in practice. Ultimately, producers with the strongest, most consistent biosecurity will maintain the highest sanitary status over the longest period. BP