As we head into the heat of the sale season, it is vital that we keep biosecurity at the forefront of all that we do. Whether you’re consigning, purchasing, or hosting a sale, we all must do our part in protecting the health of our industry. Taking the time to meet all required health regulations and follow biosecurity practices before, during, and after each sale helps protect not only your operation, but also the producers, exhibitors, and buyers who invest in your operation. A few extra precautions today can help ensure a healthy sale season and safeguard the future of the swine industry.
Biosecurity Tips
Before the Sale
- Thoroughly clean and disinfect all facilities, pens, sorting areas, chutes, scales, equipment, and loading areas before pigs arrive.
- Encourage exhibitors and buyers to arrive with clean trucks, trailers, and equipment.
- Ensure hand sanitizer, disposable boot covers, and disinfectant stations are readily available throughout the sale grounds.
- Review biosecurity expectations with volunteers before the event.
During the Sale
- Monitor pigs for signs of illness, including coughing, labored breathing, lack of appetite, or other abnormal behavior. Address concerns immediately and consult your herd veterinarian when appropriate.
- Limit unnecessary movement between pens and minimize equipment sharing whenever possible.
- Encourage all attendees to follow established biosecurity protocols, including wearing disposable boot covers in designated areas and practicing good hygiene.
- Maintain clean, organized facilities throughout the event by promptly removing waste and disinfecting high-contact areas as needed.
After the Sale
- Clean and disinfect all facilities, equipment, loading areas, and common-use surfaces once pigs have left the grounds.
- Properly dispose of used biosecurity supplies, including disposable boot covers and gloves.
- Encourage buyers to transport pigs directly to a prepared quarantine area and reinforce the importance of isolating new arrivals for at least 30 days before introducing them to their existing herd.
- Evaluate the event’s biosecurity practices and identify opportunities for improvement before the next sale.
Every sale is an opportunity to strengthen the industry’s commitment to animal health. By making biosecurity a priority at every stage of the event, breeders and sale facilitators help protect not only the pigs in the ring, but also the farms, families, and future of the pork industry.
Health Requirements
- All show pigs from Texas farms selling in Texas auctions are classified as feeder pigs sent to an auction barn. Therefore, health papers and 840 tags are not needed.
- If Texas pigs are sold to an out-of-state buyer, those animals must meet the health requirements of the state they are going to.
- All pigs entering Texas from out-of-state must have an 840 tag and current health papers.
- When delivering out-of-state pigs to different locations across the state, the final endpoint is the only location needed on the health paper as long as the pig remains in the trailer until it reaches the location listed.