Disinfect Your Barn
With our horses confined to barns for feeding, resting, weather, and the like here again our domestication of the horse requires human production of goods and deeds for a healthy equine world. The enclosed environment of the barn contains elements suitable for harmful pathogens to breed and multiply. Human intervention is required to supply a responsible preventative program reducing possible devastation. I am a believer in furnishing a “natural” lifestyle for my horses whenever achievable, but sometimes this is not always applicable. A continued search for a “natural” solution for disinfecting the serious pathogens is ongoing. Using quality chemicals with complete awareness in our facilities remains the defining factor in controlling the damage these germs can wreak on horses and humans. Dangerous agents of disease are serious contenders and we must provide effectively for our horses since we opt to interject ourselves into their world.
When I rose today, the sun shined brightly; expressing its impressive strength through the panes of the window while thoughts of this post were present in my mind. The sun brought a smile and warmed my being. The countless values of its existence also raced through my thoughts. Interestingly, this moment rekindled the awareness of the sun's abilities and the benefits it delivers upon us; simultaneously sparking a connection to the ideas behind this blog. Disinfecting your barn ranges from a general to a more specific pathogen control process and the applications one utilizes are contingent on the circumstances. With its astonishing powers, the sun is one of nature’s best disinfectants. However, it has been found that its effectiveness is obstructed as man squats on and alters the environment around him.
With horses waiting, I approached the barn and understood the impossibility for this entity to “sanitize” our enclosed facilities single-handedly. With the sun’s brilliant light and the warmth it bestows today, it is easy to find myself in the barn doing some cleaning tasks and spending time with my horses.
The sun and other natural ingredients are my first choice of defense for a general cleaning process. Germs take many forms and some require man made substances containing hazardous materials for an effective abolishment treatment. Consult with your vet for the best possible application for your situation. It is up to the horseperson to supply the best possible care for their equine.
Having a detailed farm management program covers many areas and keeping sickness and disease at bay is one part. Properly timed vaccinations, deworming and appropriate diet and exercise programs are some of the right roads to travel for combating illness. Realizing nothing is 100% effective, administering the most complete program possible reduces significantly the risk of disease entering your farm and causing outbreaks. For some pathogens, no vaccines are available, nor is there a remedy for all illnesses; thus, preventive measures play a key roll in protection and rests on a thorough preemptive program. By adding the practice of disinfecting your barn, equipment, horse trailer and all to a good management program, you will provide yourself and your horse a well-balanced line of defense.
Every barn is different and there are so many variables to consider before an effective management program can be implemented. For the most part if the property, facilities and horses are maintained, a general disinfectant application can be conducted regularly to keep diseases at bay. But if an outbreak has hit your property or is nearby, a more powerful application must be directed. The following sections are intended to inform only and are based on the use of chemicals designed to combat pathogens. Natural disinfectants and milder chemicals may be substituted when just a general cleaning is needed. Educate yourself on the numerous information available to create the best possible management program for your barn.
Prepare yourself - disinfecting your facility is hard work, but important in proper preventative care or if an outbreak is present. Disinfecting is an absolute if sickness strikes your barn! The following outline is for disinfecting a stall with non-porous surfaces such as varnished wood, painted concrete block, concrete floors, etc. Approximately 1 hour per stall is what you should expect. There are a few recommendations for disinfecting other surface types, too. Staying alert to strict standards of cleanliness along with a balanced diet and exercise, keeping vaccinations, deworming and disinfecting programs regular will help avoid costly disease outbreaks for your horse, barn and you.
When I rose today, the sun shined brightly; expressing its impressive strength through the panes of the window while thoughts of this post were present in my mind. The sun brought a smile and warmed my being. The countless values of its existence also raced through my thoughts. Interestingly, this moment rekindled the awareness of the sun's abilities and the benefits it delivers upon us; simultaneously sparking a connection to the ideas behind this blog. Disinfecting your barn ranges from a general to a more specific pathogen control process and the applications one utilizes are contingent on the circumstances. With its astonishing powers, the sun is one of nature’s best disinfectants. However, it has been found that its effectiveness is obstructed as man squats on and alters the environment around him.
With horses waiting, I approached the barn and understood the impossibility for this entity to “sanitize” our enclosed facilities single-handedly. With the sun’s brilliant light and the warmth it bestows today, it is easy to find myself in the barn doing some cleaning tasks and spending time with my horses.The sun and other natural ingredients are my first choice of defense for a general cleaning process. Germs take many forms and some require man made substances containing hazardous materials for an effective abolishment treatment. Consult with your vet for the best possible application for your situation. It is up to the horseperson to supply the best possible care for their equine.
Disinfect Your Barn
Having a detailed farm management program covers many areas and keeping sickness and disease at bay is one part. Properly timed vaccinations, deworming and appropriate diet and exercise programs are some of the right roads to travel for combating illness. Realizing nothing is 100% effective, administering the most complete program possible reduces significantly the risk of disease entering your farm and causing outbreaks. For some pathogens, no vaccines are available, nor is there a remedy for all illnesses; thus, preventive measures play a key roll in protection and rests on a thorough preemptive program. By adding the practice of disinfecting your barn, equipment, horse trailer and all to a good management program, you will provide yourself and your horse a well-balanced line of defense.
Every barn is different and there are so many variables to consider before an effective management program can be implemented. For the most part if the property, facilities and horses are maintained, a general disinfectant application can be conducted regularly to keep diseases at bay. But if an outbreak has hit your property or is nearby, a more powerful application must be directed. The following sections are intended to inform only and are based on the use of chemicals designed to combat pathogens. Natural disinfectants and milder chemicals may be substituted when just a general cleaning is needed. Educate yourself on the numerous information available to create the best possible management program for your barn.
Consider the following issues prior to the disinfecting process to assure the best outcome:
- Seek professional help when health issues arise.
- Since barns are built of various materials and with the multiplicity of pathogens capable of inflicting harm, the chemical chosen to combat pathogens needs a reasonable expectation of effectiveness under diverse circumstances.
- There are disinfectants available that can kill all of the equine pathogens but they are not safe for use in horse facilities.
- When handling chemicals caution must be taken; with proper education you will deliver a safe and effective tool in fighting germs.
- One misconception, bleach alone will eliminate all pathogens. If your stall is constructed with stainless steal, this may be true. It is critical to understand that the more porous the surface, and the more organic matter that is present, the less likely that any disinfectant will work!
- Always maintain the lowest possible levels of organic matter in and around your barn and study your situation, seek professional help if necessary, choose appropriate methods, and remember never mix chemicals.
Prepare yourself - disinfecting your facility is hard work, but important in proper preventative care or if an outbreak is present. Disinfecting is an absolute if sickness strikes your barn! The following outline is for disinfecting a stall with non-porous surfaces such as varnished wood, painted concrete block, concrete floors, etc. Approximately 1 hour per stall is what you should expect. There are a few recommendations for disinfecting other surface types, too. Staying alert to strict standards of cleanliness along with a balanced diet and exercise, keeping vaccinations, deworming and disinfecting programs regular will help avoid costly disease outbreaks for your horse, barn and you.
STALLS:
- Pick a nice sunny day and allow your horse(s) to be outside enjoying the day.
- Remove all feeding/water buckets, toys, and bedding from the stall.
- Remove mats from floor.
- Sweep the walls, ledges, window, door and floor to remove webs, dirt, dust, hay, etc. and as much organic matter as possible. When finished, disinfect the broom with your other tools.
- Using a hose with a spray nozzle or a pressure wash, wash down all stall walls, floor, ledges, door and window using a detergent – Tide works well. SCRUB HARD!! Elbow grease will remove more than 90% of the contaminants. The cleaning step is the most important in the disinfecting process; if you skip this step, you will be wasting your disinfectant. If there are stubborn stains, scrub until removed; keeping the surface wet for 10-20 minutes will loosen the dirt. Rinse by starting at the top of the stall, then working from the edges of the stall toward the draining area. Remaining dirty areas might need a second cleaning (pay special attention to corners and drains). All encrusted organic matter needs to be washed off!
- Since you will dilute the disinfectant according to label instructions, you do not want the disinfectant further diluted by spraying it on standing water. Therefore, after all surfaces are cleaned and rinsed; remove as much excess water as possible, especially from floors, by using a broom or rubber scraper (squeegee). These tools will need disinfecting when finished.
- For the disinfecting process, make sure you wear protective clothing, including long sleeves, long pants, gloves, goggles and headgear - face masks. Carefully follow label instructions for the disinfectant and dilute it into an applicator such as a garden sprayer (label this sprayer and only use it for this purpose). First, begin at the top and spray the walls followed by the ledges, door and window then proceed to do the floor. Allow the disinfectant to dry. Do not rinse it off!
- After the stall has completely dried, return disinfected mat* and bed it with clean bedding.
DISINFECTING POROUS FLOORS:
- Porous floors (for example packed clay, sand, dirt or other such materials) are impossible to disinfect adequately. However, a thorough cleaning several times a year is a good preventative measure to practice.
- An option to cleanse dirt, clay, etc. flooring without using water - Completely remove all bedding and mats, lime wet areas and allow to dry. In humid areas, use fans for drying. This will eliminate a few organisms that are highly susceptible to drying, but the majority of equine pathogens are not. Return disinfected and sun dried mat to stall floor. Thickly bedding the stalls will place some distance between any pathogens in the soil and the horse. NOTE - this process does not reduce the likely pathogens.
- Another option is to remove a layer of soil (about 2’) then thoroughly soak the floor with a disinfectant and allow to air dry. Again, use fans to help dry. Replenish floor with fresh soil and thoroughly soak the top layer of new soil with a disinfectant again and allow to air dry. Return disinfected mat and bed with clean bedding.
DISINFECTING EQUIPMENT / TOOLS:
- While you are waiting for the stall to dry, scrub mats, all buckets, feed tubs, and other storage equipment with a detergent (like Tide) free of scum – use the hottest water possible. Rinse thoroughly and then scrub again with a solution of 1 part laundry-type chlorine bleach to 10 parts water. Allow items to air-dry without rinsing. Scrub one more time with water and dish detergent. Rinse thoroughly to remove any bleach or detergent residue. Allow to dry in the sun. Spray on the diluted disinfectant, as per label directions and let it stand for 10 minutes. Then thoroughly rinse it with potable water. You need to be completely sure to rinse the disinfectant from anything that the horse will eat or drink from or areas in contact with horse’s feed or water. Dry these items in the sun and return them to the disinfected stall.
- Clean all tools such as pitchforks, shovels, brooms, grooming tools, etc. with a detergent like Tide, rinse and then soak in a disinfectant solution for 10 minutes. Follow with a final rinse. Protect leather and wooden handles of tools (brushes, etc. ) by taping plastic wrap or foil around the wood/leather straps - disinfectant will be tough on them.
- Clean blankets and pads weekly or monthly, depending on how frequently they are used. Doing so will help prevent skin problems from developing and spreading. Remove hair with plastic brush and/or vacuum cleaner. Discard vacuum bag. If machine-washable, run pads through the wash cycle with Lysol. (Use 1 cup in a standard top-loader.) Spin dry and run through a second wash cycle with Ivory soap flakes. Add vinegar to the rinse water to help remove soap residue. (Use 1 cup in a standard top loader. Some horses have a skin-sensitivity to detergent residues in saddle pads and blankets.) Tip: If your washing machine is too small to wash saddle-pads, inquire at local laundromats for permission to use their machines. Most will allow this, but will require you to run the machines once more, empty, to remove hair and other residue. Allow items to air-dry, preferably in the sun.
DISINFECTING PASTURES / PADDOCKS:
- These areas cannot be disinfected, but you can reduce the risk of disease by assuring the minerals are correct in the soil and harrowing the manure regularly. Harrowing will expose the manure to sunlight allowing it to dry thoroughly. Sunlight is a great disinfectant! If possible, rotate your pastures for horse grazing.
DISINFECTING FOALING STALLS:
- These stalls need to be kept clean and disease free – always! Power wash the stall after every foaling with detergent. Remove as much water as possible. After the stall dries completely, spray with a disinfectant. Allow the disinfectant to dry – do not rinse. Bed the stall with fresh bedding. Follow above steps for floors and mats.
DISINFECTING YOURSELF:
- A thorough scrub of your hands with liquid soap and warm water if available, followed by drying with disposable paper towels, is adequate for skin cleansing. Remember to wear disposal gloves if you are working with highly contaminated bedding or materials.
HANDLING a SICK HORSE:
- When entering the horse's stall or paddock: Wear rubber boots and close-weave fabric overalls with long sleeves. Confine your hair in a hat. Use disposable latex or rubber examination gloves whenever working with or around a sick horse. Leave these garments at the stall door or paddock gate, to slip on before entering and remove when you leave. Discard the used disposable gloves in a closed receptacle outside the enclosure. To disinfect towels, clothing, and other machine-washable materials, rinse off scum, soak in a bucket for 10 minutes in disinfectant solution, and then wash in machine.
- Upon leaving the horse's stall or paddock. Disinfect your boots with a plastic scrub brush and Lysol Disinfectant Concentrate (2 1/2 tablespoons per gallon of water) in a dishpan or bucket. Leave the boots outside the enclosure to dry. Cover or discard Lysol solution for safety (it's toxic if swallowed.) Discard the used disposable gloves in a closed receptacle outside the enclosure.
- When tending to more than one horse, take care of the sick one last.
Tips from the Trail:
Under normal conditions, a yearly stall scrub/disinfecting is recommended. If you are dealing with a sick horse/barn, perform these processes immediately and as often as requested by your vet.
Put two coats of enamel paint on porous concrete block.
Fill any cracks and holes in wood with a wood filler such as Plastic Wood.
Apply a couple of coats of marine-quality varnish or polyurethane to raw wood.
It is a good idea to put on a waterproof suit, boots and gloves before you begin the detergent cleaning process.
A wet-dry vacuum is a handy device for any barn and it works great for removing excess water from floors after the detergent cleaning process. However, remember it will need disinfecting when you are done.
Phenolic disinfectants are widely used in international quarantine stalls and equine hospitals. For farm and stable use, phenolic compounds are the weapons of choice. These compounds are recognizable by the suffix -phenol or -phenate at the end of words on the active ingredients list. Some brand names include 1 Stroke Environ or Tek-trol.
Mats or buckets that soak boots with a disinfectant set outside a sick horse’s stall are a good idea.
Spray alcohol regularly on knobs, containers, switches, tools and all to keep germs in check
Over time, labels can wear and may become illegible. Have a notebook listing the chemicals you use and their directions. Include the first-aid instructions for each chemical. It is a good idea to label bottles with a permanent marker.
Skylights over each stall will allow the sun to help with the disinfecting process.
Put two coats of enamel paint on porous concrete block.
Fill any cracks and holes in wood with a wood filler such as Plastic Wood.
Apply a couple of coats of marine-quality varnish or polyurethane to raw wood.
It is a good idea to put on a waterproof suit, boots and gloves before you begin the detergent cleaning process.
A wet-dry vacuum is a handy device for any barn and it works great for removing excess water from floors after the detergent cleaning process. However, remember it will need disinfecting when you are done.
Phenolic disinfectants are widely used in international quarantine stalls and equine hospitals. For farm and stable use, phenolic compounds are the weapons of choice. These compounds are recognizable by the suffix -phenol or -phenate at the end of words on the active ingredients list. Some brand names include 1 Stroke Environ or Tek-trol.
Mats or buckets that soak boots with a disinfectant set outside a sick horse’s stall are a good idea.
Spray alcohol regularly on knobs, containers, switches, tools and all to keep germs in check
Over time, labels can wear and may become illegible. Have a notebook listing the chemicals you use and their directions. Include the first-aid instructions for each chemical. It is a good idea to label bottles with a permanent marker.
Skylights over each stall will allow the sun to help with the disinfecting process.
Below is a link to results from a research lab that evaluated the virucidal efficacy of 11 commercially available disinfectants against porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) – quite informative.
http://www.aasv.org/shap/issues/v9n6/v9n6p281.html
Recipes / Remedies:
The following ideas use a common disinfectant you can buy at your local store - check with your vet to see if it will work in your situation. If using in place of a "heavyweight" farm compound do not omit the steps above prior to or after applying this disinfecting application.
1)
Mix Lysol Disinfectant Concentrate (2 tablespoons per gallon of water) in a garden-type spray tank and spray a soaking mist of disinfectant onto all surfaces and allow to air-dry. Repeat.
2)
To clean your brushes and grooming tools:
- Remove all hair.
- Soak and scrub your brushes and tools in hot water and dish detergent to loosen and remove all oils, dander, scabs and other residue.
- Prepare Lysol disinfectant solution (2 1/2 tablespoons per gallon of water); soak all grooming tools for 30 minutes.
- Discard solution.
- Allow tools to air dry, preferably in the sun.
See "Spring Clean Your Barn and Yard" for "general" Eco-friendly Disinfectant Recipes
Go Green Tips:
- properly dispose of used and or dated chemicals - check with your community to see if it offers a "Hazardous Waste Collection Day"
- use less toxic options, if suitable - but remember "green" does not mean "safe" and some "green" products can still be hazardous to the environment, animals and you
Any Go Green Ideas?
A true horseman does not look at the horse with his eyes, he looks at his horse with his heart.
Author Unknown
Author Unknown