Disease and welfare emergencies can develop quickly. When they do, the priorities are clear: protect animal welfare, control disease risk and manage the situation as safely and effectively as possible.
For the farmer at the centre of an incident, however, there is much more happening.
Decisions may need to be made quickly. Multiple organisations and individuals can be involved. Normal farm operations are disrupted and, in the case of a disease outbreak, a producer may be dealing with the loss of a flock they have spent months or years caring for.
It is at these moments that experienced, prepared support on the ground really matters.
At Livetec, emergency response is not simply about mobilising people and equipment. It is about bringing together trained teams, robust processes, specialist knowledge and practical experience to manage difficult situations calmly and professionally, with bird welfare and human wellbeing at the heart of the response.
Effective emergency response begins long before a team arrives on farm.
Being ready doesn't simply mean having equipment stored and people available. People need to be trained, equipment maintained and logistics understood. Processes need to be established, partners and contractors coordinated and teams need to know how to work together when circumstances are moving quickly.
There is a significant amount of work behind every deployment.
Depending on the scale and nature of the response, an operation can involve a full day of preparation before our teams arrive on farm. Equipment needs to be selected, checked and prepared; vehicles and logistics coordinated; teams briefed; supporting services aligned; and the requirements of the individual site understood.
This operational readiness allows Livetec to respond 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, supporting livestock businesses across the UK and Northern Ireland.
When a call comes in, the first priority is to understand the situation and identify what will be required. From there, our operational team coordinates the people, equipment and resources needed to respond.
Speed matters, but so does control.
For Livetec's operational team, that ability to respond starts with the preparation taking place long before the call comes in.
“For us, it’s all about being prepared. We plan for multiple scenarios so we know what might be required before we arrive on farm. That means working closely with our partners and contractors to make sure the supporting services are coordinated and ready to go, and making sure our own teams are trained and clear on the policies and procedures they need to follow.
“There are always things you have to adapt to once you’re on site, but having that preparation behind you means the team can respond calmly, safely and effectively when they’re needed,” says Leon Pretorius, Operations & Logistics, Livetec.
And the work doesn't finish when an operation on farm comes to an end.
Equipment returning from site needs to be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, checked, repacked and reorganised. Consumables are replenished, maintenance carried out where required and equipment returned to a state of readiness for the next call.
For a significant deployment, that can mean another full day's work after the on-farm operation has finished.
The operation on farm is the visible part of emergency response. Behind every deployment is the preparation required to get there – and the work afterwards to make sure we're ready to go again.
Since 2022, Livetec has supported more than 350 disease outbreak and livestock management operations across the UK, building a depth of practical experience that few organisations can match.
Every operation adds to that knowledge.
It helps our teams understand what is likely to be needed, anticipate potential challenges and plan people, equipment and supporting services more efficiently. It also means we know where flexibility may be required once teams arrive on site.
That experience feeds directly back into how we prepare. We continually review our processes, training and operational procedures, applying what we learn in the field to strengthen the way we respond.
It is why our operational capability is about more than having people and equipment available. It is backed by teams who have managed complex situations first-hand and understand what effective delivery looks like in practice.
Once on farm, clear communication is essential.
Farmers need to understand what is going to happen, who is responsible for what and how the response will progress.
Our operational teams often work alongside the producer, veterinary professionals, APHA and other parties involved to help create a coordinated response on site.
No two incidents are identical. Farm layout, flock size, disease status, access, equipment requirements and the circumstances surrounding the incident can all influence the response.
Teams therefore need to be able to adapt as situations develop while continuing to maintain the standards required to protect bird welfare, people and biosecurity.
Every stage needs to be carefully managed, from site access and biosecurity through to animal handling, depopulation, disposal and the movement of people, vehicles and equipment.
Effective, humane depopulation sits at the heart of our approach.
The methods and processes we use are informed by research and practical experience, with a focus on carrying out depopulation effectively while protecting bird welfare and the people involved.
This evidence, combined with the practical knowledge gained through hundreds of operations, helps inform how our equipment, processes and procedures continue to develop.
During a disease incident, maintaining high standards is particularly important. Poor practice has the potential to create additional welfare concerns, increase biosecurity risks or add further pressure to an already challenging situation.
That is why training, preparation and clearly defined procedures are central to Livetec's approach.
Our operational team undertakes Welfare of Animals at the Time of Killing (WATOK) training, helping ensure those involved in depopulation understand their responsibilities and have the skills and knowledge required to protect animal welfare throughout the process.
We also work alongside our specialist poultry catching and handling team at Jonah's Handling, which is RSPCA Assured recognised. This provides another layer of practical expertise on site, with experienced people accustomed to working with birds safely, calmly and with welfare front of mind.
These aren't simply credentials. They influence how our teams operate: how birds are handled, how procedures are carried out, how decisions are made and how welfare is protected throughout an emergency response.
It is an approach built not only around what needs to be done, but how it is done.
Disease outbreaks and welfare emergencies aren't simply operational events. There are people at the centre of them.
For a farmer and their staff, depopulation can mean seeing animals they have cared for being removed from the farm, while also dealing with the practical, operational and financial uncertainty an incident can bring.
We recognise the emotional impact these situations can have.
Our site managers and operational teams aren't only there to manage the technical elements of the response. Clear communication, consideration and calm support are important throughout, whether that's keeping the farmer informed about what is happening, responding to concerns or simply recognising when someone is finding the situation particularly difficult.
That responsibility extends to our own people too.
Working in challenging environments and carrying out depopulation can take its toll. Looking out for the wellbeing of colleagues, recognising when people may need additional support and creating a culture where teams look after one another are important parts of maintaining a professional and resilient operational team.
Processes, plans and equipment provide the foundations for an effective response, but ultimately it relies on people.
Our teams understand the practical realities of working on livestock farms and the responsibility that comes with entering a business during one of its most difficult periods.
Professionalism, respect and empathy therefore sit alongside technical capability.
For the farmer, that means having a team on site that can get on with the job, keep them informed and never lose sight of the fact that this is their farm, their animals and their livelihood.
Depopulation may be one of the most visible elements of disease response, but it is part of a much wider process.
Once the immediate situation has been controlled, attention begins to turn towards recovery and getting the farm operating again.
Every incident also reinforces the importance of what happens before an emergency: contingency planning, site biosecurity, clear responsibilities and understanding where vulnerabilities may exist.
This connection between preparedness, response and recovery is an important part of Livetec's approach to protecting livestock businesses.
We have seen first-hand what happens when disease reaches a farm. That operational experience informs the planning, training and biosecurity support we provide to help businesses reduce risk and prepare for what may happen next.
Because the best emergency response starts long before an emergency happens.