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What are the risks and what is best practice? Farm Biosecurity examines the key biosecurity risk areas.
In this edition we take a look at the biosecurity risk of ‘Feed’; the challenges producers face in the current climate; useful advice and feed and fodder availability.
Feed has become a vexed issue for many Australian livestock producers.
With much of Australia in drought and now flood, pastures have not been up to the task of feeding cattle and sheep, while the long-term steady growth of intensive industries such as pigs, poultry and feedlots has led to increased demand for grains for feed – leading to an increase in producers purchasing feed.
Animal Health Australia has warned that with a lot of imported and unusual feed available because of the drought, producers should take care when they order feed.
Lots of feedstuffs will also be coming out of storage and will have been treated for the control of pests. There is an increased risk of chemical contamination and producers should test feed prior to use.
- Check residue levels and make sure they are covered in case there are residues present.
- Check that feed is fit for purpose by checking the crude protein (CP) and metabolisable energy (ME) levels. Ensure Withholding Periods and Export Slaughter Intervals are being met.
Mr Ed Klim, Manager of Food Safety Systems and Support at DAFF and Secretariat of SAFEMEAT said it was important to get feed that was appropriate for the species.
“The Ruminant Feed Ban, which prohibits ruminants such as sheep, cattle, alpacas and goats being fed anything that comes from a vertebrate animal is absolutely critical to preventing the spread of BSE (mad cow disease) and keeping the confidence of export markets.” Mr Klim said.
Feed that is appropriate for ruminants is clearly marked and should be kept separately from other feed to avoid cross contamination.
“Also, make sure you keep dog food away from livestock as, while it’s fine for dogs, it contains the restricted animal material that is illegal under the Ruminant Feed Ban.”
The Swill Feeding Ban makes it illegal to feed foodscraps and swill to pigs. While it may be tempting to do this whilst feed is expensive, this is the most likely way to introduce foot and mouth disease into Australia and is absolutely NOT allowed.
Feed tips
- Think about sampling and testing feed deliveries for chemical residues, banned substances and nutritional value. This small cost per tonne protects against the possible ramifications of poor feed and the purchase of contaminated feeds
- Always obtain and use commodity vendor declarations (CVDs) and Byproduct vendor declarations (BVDs)
- They are a legal statement
- They provide certainty that livestock have not been contaminated
- They are required in some Quality Assurance programs and are generally part of best practice
There is excellent advice to be found at www.safemeat.com.au in particular for livestock producers to be aware of chemical residues when feeding supplementary feeds to livestock.
Safemeat provides risk assessment documents for various alternate fodders. The summarised documents for the different types of fodders are available on the Livestock Quality Systems website and include:
Additional points to remember:
- Storage – ensure feed is secure from pests and diseases, and is clean and dry so mould cannot take hold and other residues cannot seep in.
- Cleanliness of equipment – remove build up of old feed, ensure new feed is not tainted by other substances such as chemicals and is not contaminated by pests.
- Follow all manufacturers instructions, export slaughter intervals and withholding periods
Feed Grain and Fodder Availability
Recognising the challenge of finding appropriate feed, DAFF provides guidance for imported feed on www.daff.gov.au, where low risk sources of grain have been assessed by Biosecurity Australia and AQIS as suitable for importation, subject to quarantine conditions.
Other stock feeds, such as meal and feed pellets from defined sources, have been assessed as manageable quarantine risks, with permit conditions applying.
As Biosecurity Australia has identified significant quarantine risks associated with the importation of hay and straw into Australia, these products cannot be imported.
Domestic grain data provided by ABS and ABARE, combined with regular updates on potential/actual grain imports, should help livestock industries to develop strategies to manage the current drought, including making decisions on the flow of grain within and into Australia.
Source: www.daff.gov.au/agriculture-food/meat-wool-dairy/ilog/feed-grain
Biosecurity problem takes root for fodder buyers
Biosecurity Queensland has warned that the drought is creating a new biosecurity problem for many growers, with recent rains leading to weed seeds from purchased fodder germinating.
Weeds such as parthenium and giant rats tail grass can smother pastures and invade roadsides and natural and recreational areas, with very high control costs. Pathenium can also produce serious allergic reactions in people.
Biosecurity Queensland principal land protection officer Clyde McGaw said weeds were reportedly germinating in areas where they had been previously controlled.
“What is worrying is that parthenium and giant rats tail (GRT) grass could appear in areas where they have not been seen before, especially if fodder or grain has been brought onto the property,” he said.
Mr McGaw said stock owners should always ask where their feed has come from and request a weed hygiene declaration when purchasing hay, grain or other fodder. It is compulsory for suppliers of stock feed which may contain certain weeds to let purchasers know in writing that these weeds could be present.
“Being cautious, asking questions and requesting a weed hygiene declaration form can save a lot of money in the future,” Mr McGaw said.
He said paying a bit more for feed that comes with a declaration form can save potentially hundreds or thousands of dollars that might need to be spent in the future to control weeds.
It‘s important for landholders to check all areas where parthenium and GRT grass are a problem, particularly weak pastures with sparse ground cover, and to respray areas where the weed has been sprayed before.
Livestock owners should also follow correct weed hygiene procedures when moving livestock and vehicles through parthenium and GRT grass infested areas.
Sources include: Queensland DPI - www.dpi.qld.gov.au
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