Decide who will manage the sanitation process.
This includes training employees, ordering supplies, frequency (immediately after use, daily, weekly, monthly), and maintaining sanitation stations.
What are the disease risks you are concerned about?
Where on the farm are the risks located? Is there a recurring disease issue that could be controlled by identifying the source(s).
Learn how different diseases are transmitted.
What may be brought in by visitors, arrive with new animals or passed to livestock by wildlife. Is a disease spread by aerosols, ingestion, insects or close contact between animals, and what is needed to break the cycle?
What are the conditions under which a sanitation product will be used?
What is the type of surface you want to disinfect?
Choose the correct product.
Products that are used for daily sanitation may be different than what you need to use when a disease is already present.
Know what the hazards and safety precautions are with the use of sanitation products.
Personal protective equipment (PPE) will be needed, and the level of protection required, depending on the product. This information can be found in the product’s Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS).
Will a quality control process be in place to make sure sanitation is being done correctly?
Look at boot bottoms, check vehicle tires, create a line of separation, employee compliance with the process, etc.
Disinfection Resources
Characteristics of Selected Disinfectants
A downloadable version of the above chart as a printable PDF. Click this link to download the Characteristics of Selected Disinfectants chart in PDF. Click this link to download the Characteristics of Selected Disinfectants chart PDF.
Foreign Animal Disease Disinfection
Two documents with information on recommended guidelines and disinfection products for use with foreign animal diseases such as vesicular stomatitis, avian influenza and Newcastle disease. Click this link to download the Potential Pesticides to Use Against Causative Agents of Selected Foreign Animal Diseases in Farm Settings. / Click this link to download the NAHEMS Guidelines: Biosecurity for Foreign Animal Disease Preparedness & Response PDF.
Biosecurity Disinfection 101
A general overview of disinfectant information regarding proper selection, application, mixing, reading a label, and effectiveness against various disease causing organisms. Click this link to download the Biosecurity Disinfection 101 PDF.
National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances in Organic Agriculture
The Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (e-CFR) lists synthetic and nonsynthetic substances allowed for use in organic livestock production. Click this link to visit the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances in Organic Agriculture website.
How to Read a Disinfectant Product Label
Understanding the information on a disinfectant product label is essential for effective microorganism inactivation and removal, as well as ensuring safety when using the product. This handout overviews key areas of a sample disinfectant label. Click this link to download the disinfectant label in English. / Click this link to download the disinfectant label document in Spanish.
Disinfectant Formulation Sign
A sign for posting at sanitation stations and other areas that can be filled out with the disinfectant product name, mixing instructions, application and hazard information. Click this link to download the Disinfectant Formulation Sign PDF.
Wash Your Hands Sign
A sign for posting at sanitation stations and other areas reminding people to wash their hands. Click this link to download the Wash Your Hands sign PDF.