Every animal health professional knows the importance of biosecurity.
Visitors sign in. Boots are changed. Hands are washed. Vehicles are controlled. Employees follow established protocols designed to protect animals from disease.
But what about the phone in someone's pocket?
Or the tablet they carry from facility to facility?
What about a toolbox, pair of glasses, lunch bag, keys, or veterinary equipment that enters an animal area every day?
In many cases, the greatest biosecurity risks are not the people entering a facility—they are the objects traveling with them.
Why Biosecurity Matters More Than Ever
Whether you manage poultry, swine, dairy cattle, beef cattle, horses, companion animals, research animals, or other livestock, protecting animal health begins with preventing disease from entering the environment in the first place.
Disease outbreaks can have significant consequences, including:
- Reduced animal health and welfare
- Lost productivity and performance
- Increased treatment costs
- Operational disruptions
- Financial losses
The challenge is that many disease-causing organisms are invisible to the naked eye. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and other pathogens can travel on surfaces long before anyone realizes they are present.
That's why modern biosecurity programs focus on reducing risk at every possible entry point.
The Overlooked Biosecurity Gap
Most biosecurity programs do an excellent job managing people.
But everyday objects often receive far less attention.
Think about the items that move in and out of animal facilities every day:
- Cell phones
- Tablets
- Radios
- Tools
- Veterinary equipment
- Eyeglasses
- Keys
- Personal belongings
- Equipment cases
- Lunch containers
These items frequently travel between offices, vehicles, farms, barns, clinics, hatcheries, laboratories, and animal housing areas.
Even when personnel follow proper procedures, objects can unintentionally carry contaminants from one environment to another.
As animal production systems become more advanced and disease prevention becomes increasingly important, producers and facility managers are looking for additional ways to reduce these risks.
A Different Approach to Disinfection
Traditionally, disinfection relies on chemical cleaners, sprays, wipes, or washing procedures.
While these methods remain important, they are not always practical for every item.
Electronics, tools, and personal belongings can be difficult to disinfect consistently using traditional methods. Some items may not be cleaned as often as they should be, while others may be damaged by repeated exposure to chemicals.
This is where UV-C technology offers a unique advantage.
What Is UV-C Light?
Ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light is a specific wavelength of light that has been used for decades in healthcare, water treatment, food processing, and industrial disinfection applications.
Unlike visible light, UV-C cannot be seen by the human eye.
When microorganisms such as viruses, bacteria, and fungi are exposed to the appropriate UV-C dose, the light damages their DNA or RNA. This prevents them from reproducing and spreading.
Simply put, UV-C helps deactivate microorganisms by disrupting their ability to function and multiply.
What Can UV-C Help Deactivate?
When applied correctly, UV-C technology has been shown to help deactivate a wide range of microorganisms, including:
- Viruses
- Bacteria
- Mold spores
- Many fungal organisms
The effectiveness of UV-C depends on several factors, including:
- Light intensity
- Exposure time
- Distance from the light source
- Surface characteristics
- The type of microorganism present
This is why properly designed UV-C systems are critical to achieving consistent results.
Introducing BioShift UV-C Technology
BioShift was developed to help animal facilities strengthen biosecurity by addressing one of the most overlooked pathways for disease transmission: everyday objects and equipment.
Using germicidal UV-C light, BioShift chambers provide a simple way to disinfect items before they enter sensitive animal environments.
Common items processed through a BioShift chamber include:
- Cell phones
- Tablets
- Radios
- Tools
- Veterinary instruments
- Personal belongings
- Small equipment
The process is fast, chemical-free, and designed to fit seamlessly into existing biosecurity protocols.
Rather than replacing established biosecurity practices, BioShift adds another layer of protection to help reduce the movement of pathogens through frequently handled objects.
Biosecurity Works Best in Layers
No single technology can eliminate disease risk.
The most effective biosecurity programs combine multiple layers of protection, including:
- Controlled facility access
- Employee training
- Personal protective equipment
- Cleaning and sanitation procedures
- Animal health monitoring
- Equipment disinfection
Each layer helps reduce risk. Together, they create a stronger defense against disease introduction and spread.
UV-C technology is one of those layers.
By helping disinfect the objects that move between environments every day, BioShift supports a more comprehensive approach to animal health protection.
Looking Ahead
As animal agriculture and animal care facilities continue to evolve, biosecurity will remain one of the most important investments organizations can make.
Protecting animals is not just about managing what we can see. It's also about reducing risks that often go unnoticed.
The next disease challenge may not arrive through the front gate.
It may arrive on a phone, a tool, or a piece of equipment that crosses a biosecurity boundary every day.
That's why forward-thinking producers, veterinarians, and facility managers are expanding their biosecurity strategies to include the objects that move with people.
Because when it comes to animal health, every layer of protection matters.
Interested in learning more? Contact us to get started.