These days, exotic diseases are just a plane ride away from U.S. livestock. For swine herds, the African swine fever outbreak in Asia, Eastern Europe and Africa is an example of the looming threat.

There’s no treatment for — nor vaccination against — African swine fever. The virus is resistant to most disinfectants and can survive in the environment for a long time. If it were to enter the United States, the cost of African swine fever is projected to be 4.5 billion dollars in the first year alone.

Biosecurity is the firewall between swine herds and life-threatening diseases. Among other things, it includes staying up-to-date on disease threats, separating sick pigs from healthy ones and quarantining new pigs before they enter the herd.

Biosecurity really boils down to common sense — and it can make all the difference in the health of a swine herd.