About Biosecurity

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Over the years I have made many comments about performers ignoring the biosecurity protocols when doing an “outside broadcast”.

While not meant to be any sort of legal or qualified opinion, this article gives the reason why they should be followed.

What Is Biosecurity

Before we start talking about why Biosecurity protocols need to be followed, we have to understand what they are, and why they are in place.

In its simplest form, biosecurity is the measures that have been put in place to protect the farm, and those in it from pest/diseases.

This isn’t something that applies only to farms. In fact, most of us practice some sort of biosecurity every day.

For example, we wash our hands after going to the toilet, or before handling food.

We wear hair nets, gloves and clean clothes if we work in a food service area.

Why It Is Important

Regardless of what we may think, following biosecurity protocols is important for the performers. And those they claim to be advocating for.

The animals.

It ensures that the chances of you being exposed to disease is kept to a minimum.

And most importantly, it ensures that the captives of the farm aren’t exposed to anything that could put their health at risk.

It doesn’t matter what the living conditions are like on the property. It is the INTRODUCTION of contaminants that biosecurity is aiming to prevent.

For example, because a group of piglets lives in an environment with cobwebs, excrement, and dust you may think there isn’t anything that could have an impact on them.

Except this isn’t the case.

Let’s say that a week before you entered facility “x”, you visited the local sanctuary where you patted among others, the pigs who reside there.

Now, unknown to you, these pigs have “virus y” present in their system. They aren’t showing any symptoms of it, due to having built up an immunity to it.

This virus jumps on to you, as it isn’t a cross-species virus, it just sits there doing nothing until it dies naturally. (Usually about two weeks).

Everything would be well and good. Except before the virus dies, you visit a piggery where you do a live stream in the hopes of building up supporters of your Patreon account.

And, this is where “virus x” is introduced to an area where those present don’t have a natural immunity to it.

The next thing you know, the piglets are showing symptoms of “virus x”.

Don’t think this could happen?

Visit any office space when one person has a cold and see how long it takes before others get one.

What About “The Animals”?

These Patreon performers claim they are in the facility to draw attention to the “suffering” that occurs in that place.

Yet, failing to follow biosecurity protocols actually increases the “suffering”, and causes more animals to “suffer”.

Let’s say that Barry, the Patreon performer visits a piggery where  20 sows and 200 piglets are.

Let’s say that Barry carries “virus x” due to visiting a friend who has a rescued pig.

Now depending on what symptoms “virus x” presents and whether it is a notifiable incident or not will depend on how the farmer responds to the outbreak.

If “virus x” is treatable, the farmer may choose to get a vet to treat the animals. Though that depends on the level of profitability of the farm.

Or, they could simply let it run its course.

If “virus x” it treatable, though the cost is too high, the farmer could decide to simply kill the infected animals and buy more to replace them.

Though, if “virus x” is a notifiable incident that results in quarantine, then there is a good chance that ALL of the animals will have to be killed to ensure the virus doesn’t spread.

What About The “Suffering”?

Yes, the animals who are held captive there will eventually be killed.

Though what should matter is whether they were killed due to the farmer’s actions or the Patreon performer’s.

Let’s say that “suffering” is measured in “suffering units” (SU).

Let’s also say that the total amount of SUs that a sow endures throughout her total life is 400.

For a piglet, the total SUs would be 100

At the time that the performer entered the facility the SUs for the piglet were at 50, and the sows at 200.

“Virus x” when introduced causes an additional 10SUs before the piglets are killed.

It also causes an additional 75 SUs of “suffering” to the sow.

This means each sow and piglet has “suffered” a total of 275 and 60 SUs respectively before they were killed “prematurely”.

The total SUs of the 20 sows is 5,500. The total for the 200 piglets is 12,000

Now, the farmer needs to replace the “stock” he lost, so more sows and piglets are bought.

This means that another 20 sows will “suffer” a total of 400SUs, and 200 piglets, 100SUs.

This brings the total SUs for the 40 sows and 400 piglets to 45,500.

Whereas it would have been 28,000 if the Patreon performer had had just followed the protocols in the first place.

But It Supports The Industry

Regardless of whether following biosecurity protocols supports the industry or not, should be considered.

What should be considered and paid attention to, is the impact that the outside broadcast has on the animals.

Failing to do that, or dismissing an increase in “suffering” or loss of life as “acceptable” should never be accepted.

To do so means the Patreon performer is profiting from the “suffering” of “the animals”.

And by supporting them, their benefactors are no better than the industry they are supposedly against.

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