biosecurity training; farmers; knowledge gaps; practice gaps; veterinarians; Veterinary (all)
Abstract :
[en] Biosecurity is fundamental to animal health, public health, and the economic resilience of livestock systems; however, farm-level adoption remains uneven across regions. Knowledge gaps, language and financial constraints, and limited communication competence among veterinary advisers impede implementation, especially on small- and medium-scale farms. Behavior change-oriented interventions, such as Motivational Interviewing (which deploys multiple specific behavior change techniques as defined in BCTTv1), offer promise but are seldom embedded in veterinary curricula. This study proposes a concept and key elements for biosecurity training. It highlights a modular, evidence-based training framework developed under the COST Action CA20103 "BETTER" (2021-2025), aimed at improving biosecurity understanding and implementation by veterinarians and farmers. The initiative convened European experts to co-design a flexible curriculum that addresses both technical and behavioral challenges using participatory methods and interdisciplinary expertise. The resulting framework consists of five progressive modules: (1) Introduction, (2) Behavior Change and Communication, (3) Disease Transmission & Risk Assessment, (4) Emergency Response & Clinical Biosecurity, and (5) On-Farm Practices. These modules are designed to be combined in a "pick-and-choose" format to match local needs, target audiences and resources. Delivery blends online micro-lessons, participatory workshops, peer networks, and low-cost on-farm demonstrations, while materials are culturally and linguistically adapted and framed in terms of clear economic benefits. Continuous feedback loops encourage iterative refinement and habit formation during the learning process. The proposed training framework seeks to transform biosecurity from a prescriptive doctrine into a farmer-owned daily routine by integrating technical content with behavioral science and context-specific delivery.
Disciplines :
Veterinary medicine & animal health
Author, co-author :
Mehmedi, Blerta; Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary, University of Prishtina, Prishtina, Kosova
Niemi, Jarkko; Bioeconomy and Environment Unit, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Seinäjoki, Finland
Saegerman, Claude ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des maladies infectieuses et parasitaires (DMI) > Epidémiologie et analyse des risques appliqués aux sciences vétérinaires
De Meneghi, Daniele; Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Turin, Grugliasco-Turin, Italy
Iatrou, Anna Maria; School of Agricultural Sciences, Department of Agriculture, University of Western Macedonia, Florina, Greece
Yildiz, Ramazan; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Burdur, Türkiye
Chantziaras, Ilias; Department of Internal Medicine, Reproduction and Population Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Merelbeke, Belgium
Allepuz, Alberto; Department of Animal Health and Anatomy, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Spain
Toppari, Ina; Animal Health ETT, Seinäjoki, Finland
Batikas, Georgios; Laboratory of Animal Production and Environmental Protection, School of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloniki, Greece
Viltrop, Arvo; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
Niine, Tarmo; Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Tartu, Estonia
Language :
English
Title :
Tailored biosecurity training for veterinarians and farmers: bridging knowledge and practice gaps.
COST - European Cooperation in Science and Technology
Funding text :
The author(s) declare that financial support was received for the research and/or publication of this article. This publication was funded by COST, a funding agency for research and innovation networks in Europe. COST helps connect research initiatives across Europe and enable scientists to develop their ideas by sharing them with their peers. This boosts research, careers, and innovation. Weblink: www.cost.eu . This perspective is based on the work of the COST Action BETTER (CA20103), supported by the COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology).
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