A government approved disinfectant meets specific criteria demonstrating efficacy in specific disease situations, governed by the APHA (Animal and Plant Health Agency).
If there is a notifiable disease outbreak on your farm, by law you must use a Defra-approved disinfectant at the correct concentration and dilution rate for the specific disease.
The laws on disinfectant use are called disease orders, such as Tuberculosis Order, Disease of poultry Order, Foot & Mouth Disease order and Diseases of Swine Regulations 2014.
The changes
A general order is issued to control an outbreak of notifiable disease. For example, Defra could order approved disinfectants to be used to control an outbreak of bluetongue.
For general orders:
-
Virkon LSP has been re-approved on the approved disinfectant list.
For Tuberculosis Order:
- From Friday 16 February – Novagen F.P has been suspended from the approved disinfectant list. Virkon LSP is re-approved at the correct dilution rate.
- From Monday 18 March – FAM 30 was relisted on the approved disinfectant list with a higher concentration.
For the Disease of Poultry Order:
- From 20 February – Virkon LSP was suspended from the approved disinfectant list.
- FAM30 has since been re-approved and relisted.
While the above disinfectants are suspended, they are no longer approved for the use of statutory disease control. Use of these must therefore stop, and an alternative disinfectant should be selected from the Defra approved disinfectant list.
Suspended disinfectants may be re-listed, and will be updated on the approved disinfectant list.
It is recommended that you check the approved disinfectant list for any updates in due course.