Alternate stock feeds - know the risks
Livestock producers who are using alternative feed sources asa strategy to manage dry seasonal conditions are urged to beaware of potential risks.
Agriculture Victoria animal industries development officer Richard Smith said with the reduction of available fodder sources due to dry conditions, producers may be turning to alternate feed sources.
“These bring their own risks, but there are some simple checks producers can make to avoid exposing livestock to feeds containing unacceptable and harmful levels of chemical residues, or feeds which
Market report for the 1st and 2nd May
Wednesday Fat Sale 343 head. Where good cattle was in short supply, sold to very strong demand and secondary cattle the demand was not there, selling to cheaper rates.
Thursday cow and bull sale 829 cows, 30 bulls and 41 steers. Where good cattle sold well, restockers were strong on cattle not suitable for trade to go back to paddock.
236 vealers sold to 332.6, averaged 252.3 and per head $797.35.
54 steers sold to 311.6, averaged 234.2 and per head $1134.19.
49 heifers sold to 302.2 cent, averaged 224.5 and per head $980.49. The yard average 343 head 241.6 and $867.23 per head. With a very big increase in numbers, 829 cows sold to 266.2 cents, averaged 161.1 and per head 800.32. With buyers very keen to fill orders with all cattle selling very well.
30 bulls sold to 241.2 cents, averaged 191.7 and per head 1235.99.
41 steers sold to 274.2 cents, averaged 205.1 and per head 1018.19.
Vealers 1 Lim 4 Lim 4 CharX 1 Sim 2 Char 1 Lim Steers 1 Lim 3 LimX 1 Ang Heifers 6 Lim S&A Crestani, Neerim 1 Lim Mt Worth Cottage, M/W 1 Ang J Heenan, Gainsborough Beef Cows 1 Sim B&A Pratt, Ellinbank 1 Lim S&A Cristani, Neerim 1 Lim DJ Britt, Warragul 1 Lim DJ Britt, Warragul 4 Lim K Millar, Drouin East 3 Ang DR&A Williams, W/Grove Dairy Cows 2 FrnX DL&CM Currie, Bona Vista 1 Frn NG&RD Cranston, NNG 2 Frn M&M Briggs, Drouin 2 Frn E&R Crowe, Narracan Bulls 1 Lim 1 S/H 1 Lim 1 Lim
Sunny Glen Park, Loch TK&MA Johnson, Mt View K Millar, Drouin East S&M Van Hout, Shady Crk TK&MA Johnson, Mt View R Cameron, Darnum
T Hasthorpe, Tanjil Sth B&S Garratt, Moe G&C Rathjen, Cloverlea
B&S Garratt, Moe 850 241.2 2050 K&O Morrison, Thorpdale 1110 237.6 2637 D Britt, Warragul 715 235.2 1681 GJ Brough, Longwarry 770 229.2 1765
1. Scotts, 2. SEJ, 3. Elders, 4.
Landmark, 5. NGL
360 515 435 410 423 400
485 587 575
482 460 635
440 625 605 770 688 596
650 525 715 678
332.6 327.6 325.0 325.0 322.0 318.0
311.6 288.2 287.2
302.0 297.2 274.6
266.2 255.2 253.2 251.2 246.2 238.0
215.0 212.6 208.2 205.0
1197 1687 1413 1332 1230 1272
1511 1691 1651
1455 1367 1743
1171 2025 1531 1934 1693 1418
1397 1116 1488 1388 could contain restricted animal material,” he said.
Mr Smith said there are three simple things for producers to think about when purchasing alternate stock feeds: • never feed restricted animal material • be aware of chemical residues, and • ask for and provide the required vendor declarations.
Mr Smith said producers should make certain that purchased feed does not contain restricted animal material.
“This is any material taken from a vertebrate animal and includes rendered products, such as blood meal, meat meal, meat and bone meal, fish meal, poultry meal and feather meal, and compounded feeds made from these products,” he said.
“Gelatin, milk products or oils are not included in the ruminant feed ban.”
Producers should undertake their own due-diligence about the suitability of the feed being purchased, as some chemicals registered for use in crops, fruit, and vegetables may not be registered for use in stockfeed or for livestock.
“Some chemical labels prohibit the grazing and/or feeding of stubbles, wastes, and products to livestock, while others might have no maximum residue limits (MRLs) set for animal products and so any detectable level of the chemical in the livestock product could breach food safety standards,” Mr Smith said.
“Other chemicals may not have prohibitions on use of treated crops as stockfeed however, stock may still accumulate unacceptable residues as they can eat larger volumes of treated crops than humans.
“This risk can be addressed by appropriately rationing treated stockfeed.”
To meet obligations under the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program, and Primary Production and Processing
Standards for Dairy Products, producers need to obtain a vendor declaration (eg. Commodity Vendor Declaration and/or Fodder Vendor Declaration) for all stock feed/fodder purchased.
As dry seasonal conditions continue, and traditional fodder or roughage sources are expended, producers may seek byproducts to feed stock.
By-product material, which is defined as ‘any plant material not produced primarily for livestock consumption’, such as citrus pulp, fruit pomace, grape marc, and outer leaves can haveconcentrated levels of agricultural chemicals which could increase livestock residue levels.
Mr Smith said producers need to declare if they have fed byproducts on their National Vendor Declaration (NVD) within 60 days of selling livestock, with details of what produce was fed.