National Procedures and Guidelines for Intensive Sheep and Lamb Feeding Systems

Environment and Design

• We have been affected by heavy traffic travelling on an access road to a large feedlot with no curfew times in place. Is it possible to include feedlot access roads in the separation distance requirements?
• Where standards and guidelines are based on cattle standards and guidelines, a conversion ratio of 10:1 should be used.
• Amend S4.4 “Pests must be controlled within the intensive lamb finishing system as they contribute to disease, damage infrastructure and equipment and are a significant source of irritation to stock and personnel” to “If any nuisance animal are to be controlled within the intensive lamb finishing system as they contribute to disease, damage infrastructure and equipment and are a significant source of irritation to stock and personnel, it must be undertaken using humane lawful methods”. Nuisance or pest animals should also be defined.
• Not only feedlots constructed on deep sands should have clay applied and rubble compacted to a depth of 450 mm – suggest soil tests ensure that all clays can be treated to AS1231 levels, to minimise seepage, otherwise clay lining to the appropriate standard should be considered.
• Maximum permeability for manure pads and lagoons should be defined as 10-9 mm/sec.
• A separation distance for the spreading of nutrient from boundaries, gullies and watercourses needs to be included.
• Clause S1.4, “Where the site is to be located above groundwater resources an expert independent assessment must be conducted” should be amended to “All sites must be assessed in relation to groundwater impacts”.
• For best practice, the minimum slope of a roof structure to maximise heat loss and minimise heat build up should be included.
• Wind breaks are more effective when porous (ie, not a solid wall). Porosity of 30 to 50% may be best practice.
• Carcase disposal by burial is not generally appropriate.

Format

• The document contains unnecessary repetition

Management

• A register of lamb mortalities/morbidities by diagnosis should be kept to satisfy animal health and welfare authorities.
• Clause S11.9 “Lambs must be handled in a manner that does not cause pain or injury” should include “electric prodders must not be used”
• All personnel handling lambs must have passed low stress stock handling training.
• The following acts should be considered and referenced if appropriate: Veterinary Practitioners Act, Poisons and Therapeutic Goods Act and The Stock Medicines Act.
• Samples of feeds should be retained for potential later feed analysis.

Health, welfare and nutrition

• Amend clause S13.4 from “All medications must be administered in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions or under veterinary supervision” to “All Prescription Animal Remedies (S4s) only to be used under direct veterinary supervision.  All non-PARs to be used in strict accordance with manufacturers instructions”.
• Include Listeriosis, PEM, non-laminitis lameness and E coli tin the animal health section
• Shade must be provided when the temperature exceeds 25 degrees (refer G3.8 Shelter should be provided to avoid heat and cold stress and G11.2 Shade should be provided during times of the year when the weather is likely to exceed 30°C.)
• Animals must have protection from inclement weather when the temperature is below 10 degrees.
• Introductory periods for grain adaptation quoted in clause S34.9 should be moved to guidelines and not be prescriptive. Defining a minimum 21 day introductory feeding period where diets contain >60% grain is seen as prohibitive and denies use of shorter feed introduction that is currently being successfully used by some lamb finishers.
• Remove reference to sampling grain from a filled silo from the top and bottom (G34.5) as this promotes unsafe OH&S work practices. Samples should only be taken when either filling or emptying silos.
• The methods of euthanasia should be expanded to include other accepted humane methods such as exsanguination.

Supply Chain Management

• A standard should be included to prevent restricted animal materials (RAM) being fed either intentionally or unintentionally.
• Commercial feed must only be sourced from a QA accredited supplier.