Implementation of biosecurity on equestrian premises: A narrative overview.
Authors: Crew C R, Brennan M L, Ireland J L
Journal: Veterinary journal (London, England : 1997)
Summary
# Editorial Summary Biosecurity protocols form the cornerstone of disease prevention in equestrian settings, yet implementation varies dramatically across different premises depending on their operational scale, facilities, and perceived disease risk. Crew and colleagues conducted a narrative review synthesising published evidence on how frequently specific biosecurity measures are actually adopted in practice, alongside documented barriers preventing their wider uptake. The research reveals a significant gap between recommended protocols and real-world implementation, identifying factors such as resource constraints, lack of awareness, perceived impracticality, and competing operational demands as key obstacles to compliance. Understanding these implementation challenges is essential for equine professionals: farriers and veterinarians must recognise which biosecurity measures their clients actually use (or neglect), whilst coaches and yard managers need practical guidance on prioritising interventions that are both effective and feasible within their specific context. The review underscores that tailoring biosecurity advice to individual premises—rather than applying blanket recommendations—is likely to yield better adoption rates and ultimately stronger protection against both endemic disease spread and exotic disease incursion.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Assess your facility's specific disease risks and biosecurity requirements—one-size-fits-all approaches won't work across different equestrian premises types
- •Identify and address barriers to implementing biosecurity measures relevant to your operation, as adoption rates remain inconsistent across the industry
- •Develop a biosecurity plan aligned with your facility's resources and infrastructure, focusing on preventing both endemic disease spread and potential exotic disease introduction
Key Findings
- •Biosecurity measures are essential for controlling endemic diseases and preventing exotic disease introduction in equestrian premises
- •Implementation frequency of biosecurity measures varies significantly across equestrian facilities due to differences in disease risks and available resources
- •Multiple barriers to biosecurity adoption exist on equestrian premises that limit protective measure implementation
- •Evidence-based opportunities for improving equine biosecurity adoption are discussed but require tailored approaches for different premise types