 Livestock manure and poultry litter can be excellent soil amendments and plant nutrients sources. However, manure and litter also may contain bacteria, viruses or other infectious agents capable of causing diseases in animals or humans. Proper handling of these materials will reduce risks to animal and human health. Proper manure management will reduce the possibility of spreading disease-causing organisms. The three factors required to cause an infection are an infectious agent, a suitable environment providing a means of transmission and a susceptible host. Infectious agents always will be present, but you can reduce the risk of disease with good animal management, proper veterinary care and sound biosecurity. Reduce the risk of spreading diseases. Practice biosecurity throughout a farm, ranch, auction, fairgrounds and other animal facilities. Include biosecurity in your manure management plan, which also addresses environmental issues and efficient use of manure nutrients for crop and forage production. Here are guidelines on how to practice biosecurity as it pertains to livestock manure. Implement conservation practices on the land to prevent animal and manure contact with water sources. In production and confinement areas, prevent contamination of water and feed with manure. Check waterers and troughs daily to ensure they are clean and functioning and thoroughly clean them regularly. Keep manure and manure contaminated run-off away from animal areas. This is especially important for control of Yoni's disease, salmonellosis, coxidiosis and other fecal-borne diseases. Use separate pieces of equipment for feeding and manure handling or thoroughly clean and disinfect equipment between feeding and manure handling. This reduces the risk of fecal-borne pathogens between animals and from one place to another. This equipment includes tractors, shovels, forks, truck beds and more. Good sanitation reduces the chances of infection. Many pathogens thrive in warm, moist environments. By keeping pens clean and dry, pathogens don't multiply as easily. Plus it is less likely to pick up pathogens on boots, tires, hooves and other surfaces and move them to another location. Sanitation and moisture control also support overall positive animal health. No matter the size of your operation, remove manure and dirty bedding or litter frequently from barns, yards and other livestock holding areas. Having clean, dry areas for livestock reduces fly populations and the risk of exposure to pathogens. Adult animals have stronger immune systems than young stock, so prevent tracking manure from older animals to younger animals. Keep dogs, cats, birds, rodents and wildlife out of manure, feed and supply storage areas to reduce contamination and introduction of new diseases. Biosecurity is particularly important during manure and litter clean out and land application. A hired custom hauler often takes on this job. Let the haulers know that you expect their equipment to be clean upon arrival and that you will provide an area for them to clean equipment when they are finished before leaving. You also will need to let them know where they are and are not allowed to be on your farm. Communicate if there is a designated route you want them to take between manure storages, application fields or exits, or if there are any compromised areas on your farm. Regardless of who is doing the cleaning and hauling, do not apply or ship any material after a disease outbreak without consulting your veterinarian, extension educator or other expert or government agency representative. The material may require composting or withholding times before use. Finally, observing application setbacks from bodies of water, animal housing, homes and public facilities is an environmental, biosecurity and good neighbor practice. If you are not able to spread manure immediately, consider composting it. Composting is a managed decomposition process that creates heat when done correctly and will destroy most disease producing pathogens. By following these biosecurity guidelines and your manure management plan, you will reduce the chances of spreading disease while enhancing environmental and production outcomes.