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Swill Feeding Is Banned In Australia

The Department of Primary Industries (DPI) is reminding pig producers that swill feeding is banned in Australia.

By Department of Primary Industries - 13th February 2009 - Back to News

DPI Principal Animal Health Officer Gerry Watt explained that swill is any food waste containing meat or any other animal products or by-products, apart from Australian milk by-products, and swill feeding is the feeding of this food waste to pigs.

"DPI has recently surveyed over 600 food waste outlets across Victoria and while the results of the survey and its recommendations have not yet been finalised, the level of compliance was satisfactory," Mr Watt said.

"Most food waste outlets were aware it is an offence to supply food waste containing or contaminated by meat to anyone planning to feed it to pigs.

"Any livestock owners suspected of feeding banned material to pigs will be followed up to ensure the practice ceases, immediately.

"In many countries swill feeding is used as a cheap source of food for pigs, however, this is a very dangerous practice, and is banned in Australia.

"Swill feeding has been shown to cause outbreaks of serious diseases overseas. The 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the United Kingdom was started by swill feeding infected material to pigs costing the country billions of pounds and the farming community great heartache.

Mr Watt said Australia is fortunate to be free of many serious diseases of livestock such as Foot and Mouth Disease and Classical Swine Fever, which are called "exotic" diseases as they do not occur in Australia

"An exotic disease outbreak would severely affect the livestock industries and the Australian economy," he said.

"Feeding of infected and illegally imported meat or dairy product scraps to pigs is seen as the most likely way in which an exotic disease could be introduced into Australia."

All food businesses responsible for preparing and selling food must not dispose of food waste in any way that would make it available for swill feeding and this includes food scraps from households as well as food businesses.

For further advice please contact your local veterinarian or DPI Veterinary or Animal Health Officer at DPI Ellinbank on 5624 2222, DPI Maffra on 5147 0800 or DPI Bairnsdale on 5152 0400.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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