Understanding transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are diseases that occur when abnormal proteins (prions) accumulate in the tissue of affected animals, particularly brain tissue. The protein causes a spongy degeneration of the brain and spinal cord, producing symptoms such as staggering and tremors, before eventually killing the animal.

TSEs have a very long incubation period. After infection, it takes years for symptoms to develop, but once they do, animals usually deteriorate and die within weeks to months.

The most significant TSEs in animals are:

• bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in cattle ('mad cow disease')
• scrapie in sheep and goats.

Other TSEs occur in wild and captive animals such as mink, deer and cats.

There is no treatment or vaccine for TSEs.

TSE in cattle (bovine spongiform encephalopathy)

BSE is a fatal chronic disease of adult cattle. It is known as 'mad cow disease' because of the erratic behaviour of affected cattle.

The main signs of BSE are:

• increased apprehension and nervousness
• staggery gait
• increased sensitivity to touch and sound
• muscle tremors.

BSE was first described in the United Kingdom in 1987. It spread when cattle were fed manufactured animal feed that included meat meal and bonemeal containing the BSE protein. Bans on feeding meat meal and bonemeal to ruminants have now controlled the disease.

TSE in sheep and goats (scrapie)

Scrapie is a fatal chronic disease of adult sheep and goats. It is called 'scrapie' because infected animals will often scrape against hard surfaces to relieve itching caused by the disease.

The main signs of scrapie are:

• severe persistent itchiness
• staggery gait
• wasting.

Scrapie can be transmitted from mothers to young animals after they are born, and from infected adult animals to other adults by direct contact and environmental contamination.

Geographic distribution

BSE first emerged in the United Kingdom and other parts of Europe in 1987. Small numbers of cases have also been identified in the USA, Canada and some other countries. It is not known to occur in Australia.

Classical scrapie has occurred in Europe for more than 200 years. It is also seen in the USA, Canada, and a few other countries. It is not known to occur in Australia.

TSEs in humans

Several TSEs occur rarely in humans in countries other than Australia. Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) in humans is thought to be caused by the same agent as BSE in cattle.

There is no evidence that scrapie can be transmitted to humans.

Also consider...

• Learn more about different TSEs and how TSEs could accidentally enter Australia on the Animal Health Australia website.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are not known to occur in Australia. The National Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies Surveillance Program (NTSESP) is designed to:

• demonstrate to countries that import cattle and sheep products that Australia has a negligible risk for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) and scrapie
• satisfy international trading agreements
• protect public and animal health by ensuring that TSEs are detected early if they occur in Australia.

The NTSESP is jointly funded by industry and the Australian and state and territory governments. It is managed by Animal Health Australia. In Queensland, the program is coordinated by Biosecurity Queensland.

How NTSESP works in Queensland

In Queensland, a biosecurity inspector or veterinarian can submit samples from any animal with clinical signs consistent with a TSE to the Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory for TSE exclusion testing at no cost.

In addition, the NTSESP provides incentive payments to encourage owners and veterinarians to submit samples from eligible cattle and sheep for testing.

To participate in the program, owners identify live cattle and sheep that they believe show clinical signs consistent with TSEs. They then contact a biosecurity inspector or veterinarian who examines the animal to confirm if the signs are consistent with TSEs and if the animal meets the other eligibility criteria for an incentive payment. If so, the animal is then euthanised and samples collected and submitted to Biosecurity Queensland for testing.

Encouraging owners, inspectors and veterinarians to submit samples from eligible cattle and sheep enables Australia to provide strong epidemiological evidence that BSE and scrapie are not present while sampling a relatively small number of animals.

Eligibility criteria for incentives under the NTSESP

To be eligible for testing and an incentive payment under the TSEs program, a case must meet 9 criteria:

1. Species – only cattle and sheep are eligible for payment.
2. Live animal examination – the live animal must have been examined by the submitting veterinarian or a biosecurity inspector before euthanasia and sampling.
3. Age –
   • cattle must be at least 30 months of age but under 9 years
   • sheep must be 18 months of age or older (and preferably under 5 years).
4. Clinically consistent animal – the animal must show clinical signs that resemble BSE or scrapie.
5. Sample type and quality – the inspector or veterinarian making a submission must submit complete samples of the correct tissues (brain and spinal cord) for each species that are of diagnostic quality as per the NTSESP field guidelines (PDF, 1.64 MB). Recommended techniques for removing the brain are also provided. Watch this video for a demonstration on one method of collecting NTESP brain tissue.
6. Completion of 3 required forms – to receive payment, each submission must include:
   • Laboratory specimen advice sheet
   • Clinical history and post-mortem report form (PDF, 79KB)
   • TSE payment claim and tax invoice agreement form (PDF, 42KB).
7. Independent submitter – the submitting veterinarian or biosecurity inspector must not have a financial or family link to, or any other actual or perceived conflict of interest with, a recipient of a payment arising from the program, or they must satisfy Biosecurity Queensland that a clinically consistent animal could not have reasonably been submitted by an alternative veterinarian or biosecurity inspector with no actual or perceived conflict of interest.
8. Number of animals – only one or 2 animals can be submitted for testing per disease incident per property.
9. Biosecurity entity registration – producer/owner has a current biosecurity entity registration at the time of payment.
   If your registration is not up-to-date when the animal is sampled, you can update your registration details and still receive the TSE incentive payment. Learn more about registration or call us on 13 25 23.

If you would like an examination conducted by a Biosecurity Queensland inspector or veterinarian, call 13 25 23 to find your closest officer.

You may also receive the incentive payments by asking your private veterinarian to submit samples from eligible cattle and sheep.

Available payments

Owners of eligible cattle or sheep tested as part of the program can claim:

• cattle – $330 (excluding GST) for each eligible animal
• sheep – $110 (excluding GST) for each eligible animal.

Private veterinarians who examine cases of nervous disease in cattle and sheep, and submit suitable samples and required documentation for eligible cases to Biosecurity Queensland, can claim the following incentive payments:

• disease investigation (vet fees) - $240 (excluding GST) for each cow, or $120 (excluding GST) for each sheep
• collection and documentation - $100 (excluding GST)
• freight of samples to laboratories - $30 (excluding GST).

If you have an ABN and are registered for GST, the GST amount will be added to your invoice.

Laboratory testing

Samples collected as part of the TSEs surveillance program are tested for TSEs in the laboratory.

Histological examination of brain tissue by trained veterinary pathologists is the primary test for detecting TSEs in Australia. Pathologists look for spongiform changes (sponge-like holes) in brain tissue samples. The absence of these changes indicates that TSEs are not present. Further tests can be done if the histological examination is not conclusive.

In addition, other tests are done to investigate alternative diagnoses.

Also consider...

• Read more about incentive payments in the Bucks for Brains brochure (PDF, 2.92MB).
• Learn more about TSEs on the Animal Health Australia website.
• Find more information for veterinarians who submit NTSESP cases in the 'NTSESP training guide' available on AHA's Learning System.
• Read the NTSESP field guidelines (PDF, 1.64 MB).
• Watch the video about how to collect NTSESP brain tissue.
• Contact a Biosecurity Queensland inspector or your private veterinarian.
• Read more about the National TSE Surveillance Program in the TSE Freedom Assurance Project.
• Read about the ruminant feed ban.
• Find out how to submit samples to the Biosecurity Sciences Laboratory.

Cattle imported into Australia

Following bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) outbreaks overseas, Australia banned the importation of live cattle from Europe, Japan, Canada and the USA between 1998 and 2004.

However, before the bans were in place, some cattle were imported to Australia from countries that had BSE. Given BSE's long incubation period, it is important to monitor these animals to ensure that they do not develop BSE.

These cattle have been traced, identified and placed under permanent quarantine to ensure they do not enter the food chain for either humans or animals.

Australia's Imported Animal Quarantine and Surveillance Scheme ensures that the status of each quarantined animal is confirmed and reported each year.

Sheep and goats imported into Australia

It has been illegal to import live sheep and goats into Australia from all countries except New Zealand since 1952.

Also consider...

• Find out about Australia's National Livestock Identification System and national vendor declarations.
• Read about Queensland's livestock entry requirements.

Feeding cattle animal meals contaminated with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) has been the main cause of BSE outbreaks overseas.

Since 1997, Australia has had a ruminant feed ban to:

• prevent the potential spread of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in Australia
• ensure that our meat and meat products continue to have access to domestic and international markets.

What are ruminants?

Ruminants include:

• cattle
• sheep
• goats
• deer
• alpacas
• llamas
• bison
• buffalo
• chamois
• antelopes
• giraffes
• camels.

The ruminant feed ban:

• bans the feeding of restricted animal material (RAM) to ruminants
• requires people who sell or supply animal feed to indicate on the feed container or accompanying notice (e.g. invoice or delivery docket) that the feed does or does not contain RAM.

TSEs are not known to occur in Australia. However, if a TSE were to enter the country, the ruminant feed ban would be an important measure in preventing its spread.

What is restricted animal material (RAM)?

RAM must not be feed to ruminants and is material that:

• contains or may contain the carcass of a vertebrate animal
• contains or may contain material derived from a vertebrate animal (including eggs, blood, faeces)
• has been in contact with either of these (including food or food scraps from a restaurant, hotel or home that may have been in contact with meat or other material derived from a vertebrate animal).

Banned RAM feeds include rendered products such as:

• meat and bone meal
• blood meal
• fish meal
• poultry meal
• feather meal
• compounded feeds made from these products.

However, there are some permitted exceptions. Animal materials that are not RAM and can legally be fed to ruminants are as follows:

• Gelatine
• Tallow, meaning a product that contains rendered fats and oils from an animal that has been rendered in accordance with the current Australian standard for the hygienic rendering of animal products.
• Used cooking oil that was used cooking for cooking in Australia and has been collected and processed in accordance with the National standard for recycling of used cooking fats and oils intended for animal feeds (PDF, 85KB)
• Milk of Australian origin or milk lawfully imported into Australia as feed for livestock
• Milk products or milk by-products made in Australia and derived from milk of Australian origin or a milk product lawfully imported into Australia as feed for livestock
• Mineralised seabird guano

Animal feed that is sold or supplied must have a positive or negative RAM statement that indicates whether the feed does or does not contain RAM.

It is illegal to:

• feed RAM, including animal meals, to ruminants
• possess RAM, or animal feed containing RAM, for the purpose of feeding it to ruminants
• allow or fail to take reasonable measures to prevent ruminants having access to RAM or animal feed containing RAM (this includes preventing ruminants from having access to organic fertilisers until these fertilisers have been incorporated into pasture)
• give to a ruminant animal feed that has a positive RAM statement applied to it or accompanying it.

Penalties apply to anyone who breaks these laws.

Animal feed containing RAM produced by rendering in accordance with the Australian standard for the hygienic rendering of animal products can be fed to pigs and poultry because these animals are not ruminants.

Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program

Compliance with the requirements of the ruminant feed ban is monitored under the Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program.

Biosecurity Queensland inspectors regularly inspect the premises of renderers, stock feed manufacturers, retailers and owners to monitor compliance with the ruminant feed ban.

Also consider...

• Learn more about the Australian Ruminant Feed Ban.
• Read more about the ruminant feed ban requirements for stock feed renderers, manufacturers and retailers.
• Find out more about the ruminant feed ban requirements for livestock owners.
• Learn more about how the ruminant feed ban applies to disposal of food waste.
• Find out about the ban on feeding chicken litter to livestock.
• Find out about the ban on feeding swill to pigs.
• Contact our Customer Service Centre for more information.

Selling or supplying restricted animal matter (RAM) for ruminants

It is illegal to sell or supply RAM, or animal feed containing RAM, to a person knowing it is intended to be fed to a ruminant.

RAM statements

A RAM statement indicates whether animal feed contains RAM. A positive RAM statement indicates that feed contains RAM; a negative RAM statement indicates that it does not.

Which animal feeds require a RAM statement?

Feed requires a positive or negative RAM statement if it is sold or supplied with the intention of being fed to a vertebrate animal, a bee, crustacean or mollusc.

The requirements apply to:

• feed sold or supplied in containers such as bags, including feed that is 're-bagged' or sold from open containers in small quantities
• feed sold or supplied in bulk, including consignments to stock feed manufacturers.

Feed does not require a RAM statement if it is sold or supplied for:

• cats or dogs
• aquarium fish
• captive birds (other than poultry, emus or ostriches)
• an animal other than a ruminant that is used for research.

RAM statements are not required for feed that is produced and consumed on farm.

In addition, a negative RAM statement is not required for manufactured feed that consists entirely of:

• chaff, hay or straw
• whole, cracked or rolled single or mixed grain products
• milk, a milk product, a milk by-product.

Animal feed containing RAM must have a positive RAM statement

When selling or supplying animal feed containing RAM, you must apply a positive RAM statement to the feed container or, if selling in bulk, accompany the feed with a positive RAM statement on a written notice such as an invoice or delivery docket.

• The positive RAM statement must read:
• 'This product contains restricted animal material - DO NOT FEED TO CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, DEER OR OTHER RUMINANTS'.
• The wording of the positive RAM statement cannot be altered.

Animal feed that does not contain RAM must have a negative RAM statement

When selling or supplying animal feed that does not contain RAM, you must apply a negative RAM statement to the feed container or, if selling in bulk, accompany the feed with a negative RAM statement on a written notice such as an invoice or delivery docket.

• The negative RAM statement must read:
• 'This product does not contain restricted animal material'.
• The wording of the negative RAM statement cannot be altered.

The table below explains the legal requirements for the appearance of positive and negative RAM statements.

Requirements for the appearance of RAM statements

It is an offence to knowingly take a RAM statement off, or cause a RAM statement to be taken off, a container of animal feed. It is also an offence for a person to knowingly mark or deface a RAM statement.

Avoiding RAM cross-contamination

Feed for ruminants must not be contaminated with RAM or with feed that contains RAM during manufacture, storage or feeding.

To prevent cross-contamination, stock feed renderers and manufacturers should implement good manufacturing practice (GMP) under a quality assurance (QA) program throughout all stages of the manufacturing process, from raw material input to product delivery.

In particular, when a stock feed manufacturer uses the same mixing equipment to produce 'mixed lines' (animal feed containing and not containing RAM), measures must be in place to prevent RAM from contaminating feed intended to be fed to ruminants or not intended to be labelled with a RAM statement. The ruminant feed ban requires that no RAM be fed to ruminants, not even in trace amounts.

The best way to avoid cross-contamination is to have separate and permanently dedicated production lines (including separate augers, mixers, pelleting machines and bagging equipment) for animal feeds containing RAM and for those without.

Where this is not possible, manufacturers should adopt other measures to reduce cross-contamination risks (e.g. clean equipment thoroughly or use accepted flushing or sequencing techniques between production batches).

You can find more information on preventing cross-contamination in Appendix 2 of the Australian ruminant feed ban national uniform guidelines. The guidelines are available from the Animal Health Australia website.

Industry guidelines for preventing cross-contamination have also been developed. To get a copy, contact the Stock Feed Manufacturers' Council of Australia.

Other feed labelling requirements

In addition to the requirements for RAM statements, the regulation prescribes other labelling requirements and standards for feed for food producing animals in the Code of practice for feed for food producing animals. In many cases, feed for animals must comply with both the standards and labelling requirements of the code of practice and the requirements for a RAM statement

Educating customers

Stock feed retailers can take a leading role in educating livestock owners about their products.

You can help by showing livestock owners the positive RAM statement on products containing RAM, and reinforcing the message that ruminants must not be fed RAM.

Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program

Compliance with the requirements of the ruminant feed ban is monitored under the Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program.

Biosecurity Queensland inspectors regularly inspect the premises of renderers, stock feed manufacturers, retailers and owners to monitor compliance with the ruminant feed ban.

Also consider...

• Read about the labelling requirements for animal feed under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
• Learn more about the responsibilities of stock feed manufacturers on the Stock Feed Manufacturers' Council of Australia website.
• Learn more about the Australian Ruminant Feed Ban.
• Find out more about the ruminant feed ban requirements for livestock owners.
• Learn more about how the ruminant feed ban applies to disposal of food waste.
• Find out about the ban on feeding chicken litter to livestock.
• Find out about the ban on feeding swill to pigs.
• Contact our Customer Service Centre for more information.

Feeding ruminants

Livestock owners:

• must not feed restricted animal material (RAM), including animal meal or fish meal, to ruminant animals
• must ensure ruminant animals are not fed any animal feed that has the positive RAM statement, which is:

'This product contains restricted animal material - DO NOT FEED TO CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, DEER OR OTHER RUMINANTS'

• when selecting proprietary animal feed, should only choose those products designed and labelled specifically for feeding to ruminant animals
• should not feed ruminants foods formulated for dogs and cats because they are likely to contain RAM, even when there is no positive RAM statement
• must not allow ruminant animals access to feed or discarded feed that contains RAM, or to the mixing area where feed containing RAM has been prepared
• should ensure all feed containing RAM is held in secure storage containers and take steps to prevent feed containing RAM from contaminating feed that does not
• ensure ruminants do not have access to organic fertiliser (e.g. chicken manure or litter), unless the fertiliser has been sufficiently incorporated into a pasture (e.g. by ploughing or rain and pasture growth) to ensure it will not be eaten.

Ruminants include:

• cattle
• sheep
• goats
• deer
• alpacas
• llamas
• bison
• buffalo
• chamois
• antelopes
• giraffes
• camels.

Preparing feeds on-farm

Some livestock owners prepare their own animal feed. If you are preparing both feed that contains RAM and feed that does not, you should adopt good manufacturing practices to avoid contaminating non-RAM feed with RAM.

Measures to avoid cross-contamination include:

• cleaning all equipment thoroughly and completely between batches
• using suitable sequencing and flushing techniques to prevent traces of RAM being included in feeds intended for ruminants or not labelled with a warning statement
• using separate dedicated feed storage bins to store feed containing RAM and those that don't, and labelling each bin.

RAM statements are not required for feed that is produced and consumed on farm.

Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program

Compliance with the requirements of the ruminant feed ban is monitored under the Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program.

Biosecurity Queensland inspectors regularly inspect the premises of renderers, stock feed manufacturers, retailers and owners to monitor compliance with the ruminant feed ban.

Case studies showing breaches of the ruminant feed ban

Ruminants allowed to access spilt feed

John Smith has a farm on which he rears both pigs and beef cattle.

John prepares his own feed for his pigs and cattle on his farm. He includes commercially produced meat meal, bonemeal and fish meal in food for his pigs and makes sure that animal products and fish meal are not included in food for his cattle.

However, John allows his cattle to freely roam the area where he mixes and stores both rations. John does not install a fence to keep animals out of this area, even though there is always spilt feed containing RAM on the ground following mixing.

John has failed to take reasonable measures to prevent his cattle accessing RAM. A reasonable measure would be to build a secure fence around the mixing and storage area with a secure gate, hinged in such a way that it closes after any person opens it and cannot be opened by cattle once it is shut.

Ruminants eating organic fertiliser

Jane Jones rears beef cattle. She purchases blood and bone fertiliser (containing RAM) to fertilise her cattle pasture. When spreading the blood and bone over the pasture, she leaves cattle on the pasture because she believes they will not consume the material in any great quantity. Jane decides not to incorporate the fertiliser into the pasture because rain is forecast for that night. However, the rain does not eventuate.

Blood and bone fertiliser is RAM that must not be fed to cattle. Jane has failed to take reasonable measures to deny her cattle access to the RAM spread on the pasture. A reasonable measure would be for Jane to remove her cattle from the pasture before and during the spreading operation and to keep them away until the fertiliser is sufficiently incorporated into the pasture. She could aid incorporation by spreading the fertiliser evenly (rather than in heaps), watering it in (irrigation), ploughing it in, or allowing enough time so that the fertiliser is incorporated naturally.

Generally, excluding ruminants from treated pasture for 3 weeks may allow enough rain and pasture growth to minimise the risk of animals ingesting RAM. However, longer exclusion periods will be needed if rain is scarce or pasture growth is slow.

Also consider...

• Learn more about the Australian Ruminant Feed Ban.
• Learn more about how the ruminant feed ban applies to disposal of food waste.
• Find out about the ban on feeding chicken litter to livestock.
• Find out about the ban on feeding swill to pigs.
• Contact our Customer Service Centre for more information.

The Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program (QRFBSP) is a surveillance program (biosecurity program) authorised under the Biosecurity Act 2014 (the Act) to monitor compliance with the ruminant feed ban.

Purpose of the QRFBSP

The purpose of the QRFBSP is to monitor compliance with the provisions of the Act relating to:

• prohibitions on the feeding or supplying of RAM to ruminants
• RAM statements on animal feed.

Where the QRFBSP applies

The QRFBSP applies to places, other than residences, in Queensland where:

• a person renders, manufacturers, sells, supplies or stores feed or feed ingredients
• or
• ruminants are kept or reasonably believed to be kept.

Start and duration of the QRFBSP

The QRFBSP started on 1 October 2016 and is ongoing.

Why we monitor the ruminant feed ban

Since 1997, Australia has had a ruminant feed ban to:

• protect public and animal health by preventing the potential spread of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) in Australia
• ensure that our meat and meat products continue to have access to domestic and international markets.

Infectious proteins called prions cause TSEs, including bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE, also known as 'mad cow disease') in cattle, and scrapie in sheep.

Restricted animal material (RAM) may contain prions and feeding RAM to ruminants can spread TSEs.

Australia is free of BSE and scrapie. The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) has designated Australia as having a negligible BSE risk status (the lowest risk).

Australia's negligible BSE risk status provides considerable trade advantages. These advantages are subject to the OIE and our trading partners remaining confident that we have measures in place to minimise the risk of the introduction, establishment and spread of TSEs, particularly BSE.

How we apply and monitor the ruminant feed ban

The Biosecurity Act 2014 and Biosecurity Regulation 2016 apply the ruminant feed ban in Queensland by:

• prohibiting the feeding or supplying of RAM to ruminants
• requiring animal feed to be labelled with a RAM statement.

The QRFBSP gives Biosecurity Queensland officers the authority to monitor compliance in Queensland. The program includes regular inspections of renderers, stock feed manufacturers, retailers, and owners. By ensuring that the ruminant feed ban is in place, the QRFBSP helps to protect public health, animal health and the interests of trade.

Key activities of the QRFBSP

The key activities undertaken during the QRFBSP include:

• establishing the level of awareness of the RFB requirements
• examining RAM statements on bagged and bulk feed, invoices and delivery dockets
• examining manufacturing and formulation records
• examining the storage and transport of feed and feed ingredients
• establishing how feeds are stored and used
• establishing whether feeds sold, supplied or fed to ruminants contain RAM, including whether they may be contaminated with RAM
• sampling feed and testing for the presence of RAM.

Powers of authorised officers under the QRFBSP

The QRFBSP provides powers for authorised officers to enter premises at reasonable times for the purpose of the QRFBSP. An authorised officer must make a reasonable attempt to obtain the occupier's consent before entering. Nevertheless, an authorised officer may enter the place if:

• the officer is unable to locate an occupier after making a reasonable attempt to do so
• or
• the occupier refuses to consent to the entry.

An authorised officer may take any action authorised by the QRFBSP; however, nothing in the QFBSP limits the powers of authorised officers under Chapter 10 of the Act.

More information about what an authorised officer may do to monitor compliance is available in the QRFBSP.

Your obligations under the QRFBSP

You may need to give the authorised officer reasonable help to monitor your compliance with the prohibitions on feeding or supplying RAM, and the requirements relating to RAM statements for feed. This includes providing:

• access to an area, or to the equipment used for the rendering, manufacture, sale, supply, storage or transport of feed or a feed ingredient
• access to areas in which feed is stored and ruminants are fed and kept
• safe access to feed to enable examination and/or sampling. This may include moving palates of bagged feed, opening containers of feed, or providing access to bulk feed or feed being manufactured
• access to hard copy or electronic documentation, or provide information about the rendering, manufacture, sale, supply, storage or transport of feed or an feed ingredient.

Get a copy of the QRFBSP

Download the Queensland Ruminant Feed Ban Surveillance Program or request a free copy by contacting our Customer Service Centre on 13 25 23.

Also consider...

• Learn more about the Australian Ruminant Feed Ban.
• Read about the labelling requirements for animal feed under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
• Find out more about the ruminant feed ban requirements for livestock owners.
• Learn more about how the ruminant feed ban applies to disposal of food waste.
• Find out about the ban on feeding chicken litter to livestock.
• Contact our Customer Service Centre for more information.