Tony: Good Attitude + Good Plan = Good Results
posted on Thursday, October 6, 2022
"Having a plan and following through with it are the most important parts of maintaining biosecurity,” said Tony Davis, manager of Dodge nursery. “Plus, it’s gratifying to know all the things you are doing are the right things and see that result.”
Tony knows firsthand what good biosecurity practices look like. The team at Dodge recently received a score of 100% on their annual biosecurity assessment, and this isn’t the first time that’s happened. Tony’s team consistently scores high on these unannounced assessments because of their commitment to biosecurity.
We conduct annual unannounced internal and external production well-being and biosecurity assessments and audits to ensure protocol compliance and facilitate conversations focused on continuous improvement in animal care.
So what is Tony’s secret to success? His attitude.
After spending six years at Iowa Select Farms and with a family history of raising pigs, you could say that pig farming comes naturally to Tony. However, he cites his attitude toward biosecurity as one of the most significant contributors to his successful career.
“Biosecurity isn’t a choice; it’s just something you have to do,” said Tony. “Eventually, it’ll become a habit, and you won’t even have to think about it. It’s just part of your day.”
In addition to the existing policies monitored through assessments, Iowa Select Farms launched the BeastMode Biosecurity campaign in 2021. It engages animal caretakers through email, text messages, private Facebook groups, quizzes and surveys, serving as another layer of protection for our animals that keep biosecurity at the forefront of everything we do.
These policies, assessments and innovative campaigns are all essential to protecting our pigs. Still, none of our biosecurity measures would be possible without the dedicated employees living them out daily.
“Tony is a hard worker dedicated to his farm,” said Tysen Abell, a multiplication production supervisor who works with Tony. “He has spent several months working seven days a week to ensure his sites are taken care of the right way and to ensure the biosecurity protocols are being followed to a ‘t.’ He is a joker by heart but takes the care of his farm and his biosecurity very seriously
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