Research at the Swedish Livestock Research Centre, SLU Lövsta lantbruksforskning

The research process at the Swedish Livestock Research Centre

The researcher fills in a Research Request (se above) which should include:

1. Description of the research project
2. Housing requirements (number of animals, feed, equipment, personnel etc.)
3. Time period for the study
4. Information to be recorded
5. Tasks to be performed b researchers or students

Based upon this information the staff will draw up a suggested procedure:

1. Housing needs and description of the research procedure
2. Cost estimate for the reserach project

When the two parties come to terms about the reserach procedure and cost, they will sign an agreement.

Before the project starts, the researcher shall supply the stable foreman with:

• A research plan
• Ethical Permits
• Execution plan (daily routines to the facility)

The research project will start. An initial fee will be charged at this point.

The stable foreman will communicate daily routines to the stable staff:

• Stable staffs normal duites
• Stable staffs duties in research and teaching
• Work to be performed by researchers and students

Collection of research results

Delivery of research results according to agreement

Research fees will be billed quarterly, before the final bill a closing report of the research project will be delivered.

Cow facility

Visiting rules and infectious disease control rules

•      Visits need to be booked in advance with the staff at Lövsta research centre.

•      Visitors may only enter and exit the facility through the main entrance.     

•      The visitor is obliged to follow infectious disease control rules  

•      Visitors need to register in the folder outside the locker room.

•      Quarantine rules for visitors arriving from a foreign country:

1.      Visits outside of Sweden regardless country, no contact with livestock.   

No quarantine period or need of shower before entering the facility.   

2.      Visits to livestock facilities in countries within EU or USA, Canada, Australia and NZ which is not blocked due to infectious disease regarding to EU or SJV.

Quarantine period - 48 h or shower before entering the facility.    

3.      Contact with livestock in countries where epizootic diseases (regarding to Swedish epizootic law (1999:657, SFS 2021:167)) is present ex. Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa and South- and Central America.  

Quarantine period – Absolute restraining order for 48h, after 3-4 days shower before entering the facility, after 5 days normal procedures.

4.      Been working/close contact with livestock/animals in countries where epizootic diseases is present or in livestock herds blocked by Swedish board of Agriculture (SJV).

Quarantine period – Absolute restraining order to the area and facilities for 5 days.

•      Visitors must use the two designated locker rooms. Shoes and jackets are to be left in the outer locker room. Visitors need to use coveralls and boots provided by the stable.

•      Compulsory hand wash in the locker room before entering/leaving the facility.

•      Zoonotic diseases can be present among the animals or the visitors (diseases that may infect both humans and animals). For your, and the animals, safety:  
do not touch the animals if it’s not included in the visit
- When handling the calves, face mask and gloves need to be worn. The face mask need to be in place until after boots are washed.

•      Visitors that have been in an animal group or gotten manure on their boots are to clean the boots at the cleaning station in connection to the animal group.  

•      Boots need to be cleaned before returned.

For craftsmen or if you need to bring your own equipment into the stable:

•      Reparations in the stable are to be made with tools from the stable. If special equipment is required, sanitation with Virkon and disinfectant need to be made.   

•      Equipment that cannot be brought in through the main entrance can be brought in through goods intake – contact personnel in the stable.  

Always contact personnel regarding more instructions related to infectious diseases – different safety precautions is present in different departments, for your and the animals safety.

Instructions for visitors to Lövsta pig herd

Teachers/leaders
·         Maximum 15 visitors per group in the stable.

·        The pig stable is to be visited first if the trip to Lövsta also includes visits to other stables, the bio-gas plant or the slaughter house.

Visitors
·         Visitors must not have visited other pig herds or had any contact with other pigs during the last 48 hours.

·         If you have been in the infection control zone for African Swine Fever there is also a 48 hour quarantine period before visiting the pig herd.

·         For visitors that have been abroad during the last 5 days special rules apply and all visitors from other countries need to complete a “Visitors certificate” (free to download at Dokument & Länkar | Smittsäkrad Besättning Gris | Gris - smittsäkra.se (smittsakra.se)).

1.      Visits outside Sweden regardless of country without livestock contact No quarantine period or need to shower on entry

2.      Visits with livestock contact in the EU incl. USA, Canada, Australia and NZ not declared infected or “closed” by the EU or the SJV. Quarantine period – 48 hours or shower on entry

3.      Contact with livestock in the ”epizootic infected” countries ex. Russia and Eastern Europe, Asia, Africa, South and Central America. Quarantine period – Absolute ban for 48 hours, after 3-4 days shower on entry and after 5 days normal procedure.

4.      Worked with animals in ”epizootic infected” countries or in Sweden in, by SJV closed/restricted herds. Quarantine period – Absolute ban to the area and stables for 5 days.

·           At arrival to Lövsta the person in charge of the visit shall contact the pig herd staff for entrance instructions.

·        Vehicles that have been within the infection control zone for African swine fever need to be washed in a car wash before being allowed to park outside the pig stable.

·        People not allowed entry to the pig herd:

1.      Anyone showing symptoms of the flu such as airway symptoms (cough, sore throat, runny nose), muscle ache, fever, diarrhea or vomiting (human flu can easily be transmitted to the pigs)

Entrance routines
·         Fill in the journal for visitors and a health declaration before entry

·         Enter through the changing rooms, for ladies or gentlemen

·         Change clothes to underwear level – personal shoes and clothes should be left in the outer changing room

·         Clean long sleeved t-shirts, tights and long johns are considered as underwear and are recommended during the cold season.

·         Phones are not allowed into the stable unless there is a certain reason (needs to be approved by the person in charge of the visit)

·         Please consider people with allergy and avoid perfume.

·         It is mandatory to wash and disinfect hands before entering the inner changing room

·         Change into the stables own T-shirt, visitors overalls, socks and slippers in the inner changing room

·        Await pig herd staff and/or teacher in charge in the lunch room before entering the stable

Inside the stable
·         Change to stable boots at the entrance to stable, cleanse boots and change to slippers when returning to the staff area

·         All visitors are to wear disposable face masks and hair covers

·         Wash and disinfect hands before each entrance to the farrowing units

·         Do not enter the pens or touch the pigs if it is not a specified part of the visit or trial.

·        Visiting order: Farrowing units first, then dry sows, finishing pigs last.

Exit routines
·         Put the stable clothes in the laundry basket in the inner changing room

·         There are showers if you need, bring your own towel

·         Mandatory to wash and disinfect hands before exiting the pig stable.

1.2.1.02 Visiting rules pig stables 230920

Current research projects

Completed research projects