Biosecurity Practices on Small- and Medium-Scale Dairy Farms in Northern Kosovo: A Risk-Based Scoring Assessment

Biosecurity plays a central role in preventing disease transmission in dairy production systems and animal welfare. However, quantitative data on biosecurity implementation in smallholder and medium-scale dairy farms remains inconsistent, especially in developing countries. This study provides a structured assessment of on-farm biosecurity practices in northern Kosovo using a standardized, risk-based scoring approach. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 55 dairy farms using the unmodified Biocheck.UGent™ dairy questionnaire. External and internal biosecurity scores were calculated through predefined, weighted algorithms and analyzed using non-parametric descriptive statistics. Farm-level results were subsequently compared with international reference values derived from the Biocheck.UGent™ global database. The median biosecurity scores for Kosovo farms were 47.8% for external biosecurity and 29.0% for internal biosecurity, indicating uneven implementation with pronounced weaknesses in measures designed to limit within-herd transmission. The lowest-scoring domains were purchase and reproduction and feed and water within external biosecurity, and working organization and equipment, calf management, and calving management within internal biosecurity. In contrast, visitors and farmworkers, control of vermin and other animals among external measures, and adult cattle management among internal measures, showed relatively higher scores, although all remained below international reference levels. When compared with the global overall biosecurity reference median of 76.7% derived from the Biocheck.UGent™ database, the biosecurity performance of the surveyed dairy farms in Kosovo was substantially lower. This gap does not indicate a complete absence of biosecurity measures but rather an uneven application, with the most pronounced deficiency observed in routine practices that govern within-herd disease transmission. The use of a risk-based scoring system allowed these weaknesses to be identified in a structured manner and placed the Kosovo results within an international benchmarking framework. In this context, the approach functions as a practical diagnostic tool, enabling farmers and veterinarians to prioritize feasible, epidemiological-relevant improvements within small- and medium-scale dairy production settings.