Pasture, supplementary feed and water can be contaminated with pests and diseases (including weeds) and introduce these onto your farm.
Inspect stockfeed (including non-traditional feed such as low-grade surplus horticultural produce) on delivery for evidence of pests,damage and contaminants and manage appropriately. Remember that baleage and other supplementary crops represent a significant risk for the introduction of weed species.
What you must not feed to animals
Waste feeding pigs
Despite border controls, unauthorised meat products could potentially enter New Zealand. This illegally imported meat could contain diseases and feeding it to pigs could spread these diseases. Whether you feed food waste to your own pigs or supply it to feed to pigs, you must meet certain requirements to reduce the risk of spreading unwanted diseases.
To find out more, visit the Ministry of Primary Industries website.
Ban on feeding ruminant protein to livestock
New Zealand is free of the disease BSE (bovine spongiform encephalopathy), also known as 'mad cow disease'.
If BSE entered New Zealand it would have a severe impact on our economy, changing our international trade status; potentially costing billions of dollars in lost exports and negatively affecting many farmers' livelihoods.
BSE can be spread by feeding ruminants protein that has come from infected ruminants. New Zealand has rules around ruminant feed to prevent this from happening. If you process animal feed, operate a slaughterhouse, or farm ruminant animals, there are rules you must follow to reduce this risk.
Under Biosecurity (Ruminant Protein) Regulations, cattle, sheep and deer must not be allowed to eat any products that include ruminant proteins. This includes feed intended for animals such as pigs or horses, food scraps and catering waste. Feed intended for poultry and pigs may contain these materials and other veterinary medicines that are prohibited for use in drystock and, therefore, must not be fed.
If you process animal feed, operate a slaughterhouse, or farm ruminant animals, there are rules you must follow to reduce this risk.
Feeding offal to dogs
Hydatids are parasites that form cysts in the organs of livestock and people. Although we believe New Zealand is now free from hydatids, there are rules around feeding offal to dogs to prevent them from re-establishing here.
New Zealand is currently under a Controlled Area Notice (CAN) for hydatids. If you don't comply with rules in the CAN, you could face up to 3 months in prison or be fined up to $50,000 for an individual, or $100,000 for a company (under the Biosecurity Act 1993).
Visit the Ministry of Primary Industries website to find out more.
