The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and its cooperating partners are pleased to offer the fully animated virtual course “Comprehensive Biosecurity in Pig Production: Principles, Infrastructure, and Management” for the Latin America and Caribbean region. The course will be delivered asynchronously through the FAO Campus learning platform and will be self-managed by each participant.
The objective of this course is to define the concepts and application of the basic principles of biosecurity in pig production, for their implementation and management in risk mitigation, as well
as the establishment of adequate infrastructure, rigorous protocols, and efficient monitoring systems to ensure compliance with biosecurity.
The course is structured into four units. The first unit defines and identifies the concepts and principles of biosecurity, highlighting the importance and benefits of its implementation, as
well as the risks along the value chain and the consequences of poor sanitary conditions. The second unit describes the importance of infrastructure and equipment required in swine production. The third unit examines biosecurity measures and protocols, such as cleaning and disinfection, pest control (rodents and flies), and emphasizes the importance of waste management. Finally, the fourth unit addresses the management and monitoring of biosecurity, stressing the importance of entry flows, movement and cleaning procedures, the feed supply system, water quality, as well as serological monitoring and necropsy management. These components ensure the proper implementation of biosecurity measures at all levels of production.
This course is aimed at producers, veterinarians, technicians, and other professionals involved in the swine value chain, as well as students of agricultural sciences and related disciplines, and the general public.
We warmly welcome you to this course and encourage you to make the most of this learning opportunity to strengthen your knowledge and implement biosecurity practices.
Course sheet:
Title: Comprehensive Biosecurity in Pig Production: Principles, Infrastructure, and Management
Language: English
Course type: Self-paced course
Total Duration: 5 hours
Start date: november 2025
Target Audience:
Producers, veterinarians, technicians, and other professionals involved in the swine value chain (transporters, feed suppliers, pig genetics producers and providers, among others), as well as students of agricultural sciences and related fields, and the general public.
General Objective:
Define the concepts and applications of the basic principles of biosecurity in pig production, for their implementation and management in risk mitigation, as well as the establishment of adequate infrastructure, rigorous protocols, and efficient monitoring systems to ensure compliance with biosecurity.
Specific Objectives:
- Present the fundamental concepts of biosecurity.
- Identify the benefits of implementing biosecurity measures, the risk factors, and the outcomes associated with poor sanitary conditions in swine production systems.
- Describe the importance of implementing biosecurity during the different swine production processes in relation to infrastructure.
- Adopt biosecurity measures for farm entry that include protocols.
- Apply appropriate procedures, based on the results of biosecurity monitoring, to optimize evaluation and quality processes, thereby strengthening the health status of pig farms.
Contents:
- Unit 1: Basic Concepts of Biosecurity
- The importance of biosecurity
- Benefits of biosecurity
- Risk factors
- Pathways for disease introduction
- Outcomes of poor sanitary conditions
- Unit 2: Infrastructure and Equipment
- Importance of perimeter fencing, sanitary filters, gates, signage, and farm construction materials
- Clean and dirty areas, sanitary filters, bird-proof nets, and sanitary downtime
- Farm entry protocols, hygiene, and disinfection (trucks, vehicles, personnel, entry showers, clothing, and farm-exclusive boots)
- Animal health management plan and acclimatization of production animals
- Unit 3: Biosecurity Measures and Protocols
- Cleaning, washing, and disinfecting boots
- Recommendations for animal transport and loading
- Entry of equipment and supplies, as well as the introduction and origin of animals and semen
- Rodent and fly control protocols
- Protocols for handling by-products, waste, and mortality
- Unit 4: Biosecurity Management and Monitoring
- Entry flows, movement, and cleaning (personnel, facilities, trucks)
- Feed supply system
- Water potability and physicochemical and microbiological testing
- Serological monitoring of animals, necropsy management, and proper storage areas for veterinary medicines
Better: Better Production – BP3 One Health
Responsible Officer: Rodrigo Castañeda, FAO Representative Dominican Republic
Responsible technician: Diego Rojas Morea, Project Coordinator, Specialist in Swine Biosecurity FAO
Content Developers: Wilmer Silva, Specialist in Epidemiology FAO, Felipe Torres Andrade Specialist in animal health and health education FAO
Contributors: Angie García Specialist in Swine Biosecurity FAO, Juan Minaya Assistant Specialist in Swine Biosecurity FAO
Course Implementation: FAO Campus rlc-capacitacion@fao.org