Multi-species visit rates to farmyards: implications for biosecurity.

Abstract

Disease transmission dynamics between wildlife and livestock are likely to be affected by contacts between the two populations. In this study, rates of visitation of rodents, badgers, red foxes and cats to 11 farmyards were quantified from July 2012 to August 2013. There was variation in rates of visitation between different species and between farmyards. Rates of visitation were 60.3% (n = 2374) for cats, 19.1% (n = 751) for rodents, 16.7% (n = 657) for red foxes and 3.9% (n = 153) for badgers. Multi-species visits are relevant to disease transmission, highlighting the need for increased biosecurity on farms.