Producers are urged to exercise care when purchasing stock feed (fodder) under drought or dry conditions.

Drought and dry times mean that many of the usual sources of stock feed used by producers aren´t readily available, forcing producers to source new and alternative feeds for stock. These stock feeds are often by-products from agricultural and horticultural crops. Such feedstuffs may carry an increased risk of residues for stock, as producers may not be familiar with the way the feed is produced, including the chemicals that may have been used on the crop from which the feed was produced.

During drought periods, it is important that producers are aware of the possibility of an increased residue risk and ask questions about the risk of residues in the stockfeed from the supplier.

Commodity Vendor Declaration (CVD)

To minimise the risk of introducing residues in stockfeed, producers should request that the fodder supplier provides a Commodity Vendor Declaration (CVD) with the stockfeed. A CVD is a statement from the supplier that specifies what chemicals have been used in the production of that stockfeed. This information allows producers to make informed decisions when purchasing stockfeed to minimise the risk of residues in stock. This may include observation of any required withholding periods between the final use of chemicals and harvest to produce the stockfeed material. Provision of a CVD with stock feed is not a statutory requirement on suppliers.

Copies of the CVD are available from Meat and Livestock Australia on telephone 1800 635 445, or by following the link at the bottom of this page.

In the event that a CVD is not provided with stockfeed, a producer has other options:

• Source feed from a producer that will provide a CVD.
• Source fodder from an accredited fodder scheme e.g. AgForce Cattle & Canegrowers Fodder Accreditation Scheme (ACCFAS) - contact David Pietsch on (07) 3236 3100.
• Have the feed tested at a laboratory for chemical residues.
• Confine the feeding of fodder of unknown chemical residue status to breeders or classes of cattle not likely to enter the food chain in the near future. The period needed to withhold stock from slaughter to avoid unacceptable residues varies with the chemical and the level in the feedstuff. In most cases withholding stock for 60 days will remove the risk, but there may be some cases where 60 days is insufficient time for residue levels to fall.

National testing and National Vendor Declaration

During drought times, additional safeguards to monitor the residue status of cattle may be introduced at a national level to preserve export and domestic markets. Producers need to be aware of the increased level of testing and take steps to meet their obligations when selling cattle.

This is of particular importance in the accurate completion of a National Vendor Declaration (NVD) form, a document that accompanies cattle to market. Of particular relevance to residue risk are the NVD questions about the feeding of by-products to stock, and the grazing of stock on treated pastures/crops. In particular, note Question 4 of the National Vendor Declaration - Cattle, which asks 'Have any of these cattle been fed by-product stockfeeds in the past 60 days?'.

Increased auditing of NVD accuracy may be implemented during drought periods, and heavy penalties apply for producers making false and misleading statements on an NVD. In Queensland, these fines may be up to $7500.

Cotton trash

Producers considering feeding cotton trash to stock need to be aware that cotton trash cannot be fed to stock because the label directions on some chemicals registered for use on cotton specifically prohibit the feeding of trash from treated crops.

Ban on animal protein meals for ruminants

Producers are reminded that it is illegal to feed animal meals (restricted animal material) to ruminants. This includes meat and bone meal, and fishmeal. This action has been taken as a precautionary measure to protect the health of Australian livestock as well as the Australian community, and to maintain Australia´s status as free from bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) - mad cow disease - to ensure Australian meat and meat products continue to have strong access to domestic and international markets.

Producers must not feed at anytime, including in hard drought times, any stock food that includes on the product label the warning that states: 'This product contains restricted animal material - DO NOT FEED TO CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, DEER OR OTHER RUMINANTS'

Animal welfare

Throughout dry times and drought periods, the ongoing welfare of stock must have top priority in decision-making on stock feed. The duty of care provision under the Animal Care and Protection Act 2001 places an obligation on producers to provide acceptable animal welfare for extensively grazed livestock during dry periods or droughts. More information on the welfare of extensive livestock in dry periods can be obtained by following the link at the bottom of this page.

With these animal welfare considerations in mind, producers are urged to guard against the risk of introducing chemical residues into livestock and meat products during drought and dry periods by selecting reliable sources of feed for their animals as any detection of an unacceptable chemical residue in meat could have a major impact on export markets.

Further information

• Your local DPI&F biosecurity inspector (or veterinary officer) or the DPI&F Business Information Centre.
• DPI&F drought hotline 1800 025 656
• Safemeat risk assessment - alternative fodders
• Biosecurity Queensland
• Meat and Livestock Australia
• Welfare of extensive livestock in dry periods