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Keeping Stock Alive And Well

The number of calls to DPI Animal Health staff from people concerned about livestock in poor condition, on paddocks with little or no feed available has increased recently.

By Department of Primary Industries - 8th June 2005 - Back to News

Careful management and planning will be required to deliver livestock to the next feed surplus alive and well.

Codes of Acceptable Farming Practice for the Welfare of Cattle and Sheep and other livestock species set an industry standard by defining minimum acceptable livestock management practices. Specifically the codes require that livestock should have access to or be provided with food of adequate quality to maintain their well being. Feed needed should take into account the nutritional requirements of maintenance, growth, pregnancy and lactation and provide for any extra demands such as exercise or cold stress. Cattle in late pregnancy or early lactation are most at risk if starved.

In times of seasonal shortages or in the severe feed shortage being experienced now as the result of prolonged periods of low rainfall, arrangements should be made to ensure that the quality and quantity of feed is sufficient to maintain health and adequate body condition. It is unacceptable for animals to be allowed to starve to death or reach the stage requiring destruction because of weakness caused by food deprivation.

Where minimal feed and water requirements cannot be met, cattle should be moved or agisted to a place where feed and water is adequate, or they should be sold or humanely slaughtered.

Livestock being fed for survival should be inspected regularly, at least twice per week. Where possible they should be grouped appropriately by sex, age and size to reduce competition. Shy feeders require special attention and treatment depending on the type of feed offered, method of feeding and strength of competing stock.

The Department of Primary Industry has excellent publications on drought feeding sheep and cattle. Copies are available free of charge from DPI offices at Maffra, Bairnsdale, Ellinbank or Leongatha and can be posted on request. Copies of the Codes of Accepted Farming Practice are also available.

It is a legal and moral responsibility to ensure livestock do not starve. The Codes of Practice can be used in conjunction with legislation relating to cruelty to animals to deter and prosecute cases of extreme or significant welfare abuse, including failure to feed livestock.

CALF SEASON AND NLIS REQUIREMENTS

With NLIS in its final stage of implementation in Victoria, there will be changes to the rules for bobby calves. Bobby calves going for slaughter can be tagged with bobby calf ear tags, but they cannot be sold for rearing.

Calves being sold for rearing must be tagged with NLIS breeder tags (white button) before leaving the property of birth.

Producers have the option of either using bobby calf ear tags or NLIS ear tags. NLIS identified calves could attract a premium due to a wider purchaser market.

When calves are purchased privately for rearing, they then need to be scanned and transferred into the buyer’s PIC – Property Identification Code (tail tag number) by the person buying the calves.

Assistance is available for producers who would like to learn how to set up their accounts and access the database by calling the NLIS database helpline on 1800 NLIS ID (654 743). Many stock agents are now offering this service for their clients.

If the calves are sold through a scale operation (as with a saleyard), it is the scales operator’s responsibility to scan the calves and record the movement on the NLIS database.

At present, only calves going for further rearing have to be scanned and transferred, but from July all slaughter calves with NLIS tags will need to be scanned and transferred as well.

Scale operators will need to apply for a PIC relating to that operator.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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