About the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme
| National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) |
To be accredited a feedlot operator must:
The elements of NFAS are:Animal welfareThe NFAS includes procedures to ensure the health and welfare of cattle are not compromised by the persons responsible for their care and wellbeing. These procedures ensure prompt and remedial action is taken if and when required. Accredited feedlots are required to implement “The National Guidelines for Beef Cattle Feedlots” which refer to requirements in the “Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals – Cattle”. Feedlot cattle are also submitted to regular health inspections, feedlot managers must undertake contingency planning with respect to emergency response management and must report incidents of abnormal levels of morbidity or mortality. Environmental managementThe NFAS requires that environment management procedures are established and implemented in adherence with the National Beef Cattle Feedlot Environmental Code of Practice. These procedures ensure clear and achievable environmental objectives are outlined and performance indicators, operational practices and monitoring programs are documented. Feedlot management must be aware of and adhere to their environmental legislative requirements. Employees must be aware of and adhere to their environmental management responsibilities through adequate training. Environmental performance is reviewed on an annual basis or as required by the regulatory authority. Awareness of current and developing industry wide practices is maintained to achieve objectives of the Environmental Code. Stocking densityFeedlots must ensure that stocking density is managed in the range of 9 to 25 square metres per head per standard cattle weight (male bovine weighing 600kgs) unless an exemption has been granted. Stock identification systemsA stock identification system must be implemented to enable maintenance of appropriate management records, traceability of stock on the property and when dispatched from the property. The NFAS requires that all individual animals be uniquely identified by some permanent method. These requirements help maintain the integrity of product described as “grain fed” and help prevent veterinary chemical usage prior to expiry of withholding periods or export slaughter intervals. Livestock transactions and movementsLivestock transactions and movements on and off the feedlot are to be recorded and records maintained to ensure traceability. Carcase quality, bruising and skin or hide damageCattle handling procedures are to be implemented to minimise carcass bruising and hide damage. To ensure this, feedlot pens and associated yards and loading facilities are to be constructed and maintained in a manner so as to minimise bruising and injury. Safe and responsible chemical useProperty managers are to ensure the safe and responsible administration of veterinary chemicals to cattle in the feedlot. Cattle treatment recordsAll cattle treatments are to be recorded. All cattle are to be evaluated for their suitability for human consumption prior to sale. Feedlot rationsRation analysis records are to be maintained which are to conform with the average metabolised energy content of the fed ration. Stock feed used for cattle must not contain animal products in accordance with State and Territory legislation. Feed commodity controlProperty managers are to implement procedures to minimise the risk of unacceptable chemical contamination from introduced stock feed for product intended for human consumption. Emergency response managementFeedlots are to take steps to minimise the likelihood of disease entry into and spread from the defined feedlot area. The feedlot must establish appropriate procedures to ensure satisfactory action would be undertaken should an unusual or emergency situation occur. The feedlot must also establish notification and incident reporting procedures. Persistent chemicals in soilsRisk assessment procedures are to be implemented at the feedlot to minimise the risk of cattle and agricultural produce being unacceptably contaminated with organochlorine, heavy metals or other persistent chemicals. Obtaining and storing agricultural and veterinary chemicalsProperty managers shall ensure that only legally obtained properly labelled chemicals are available for use on the property and procedures are to be implemented to ensure their safe and appropriate storage. Paddock, crop and grain treatmentsPaddock, crop and grain treatment records and withholding periods for the grazing of livestock, harvesting, sale or release for end-use of produce and grain, or cutting of crops or pastures for fodder shall be observed and only approved chemicals shall be used. TrainingAppropriate staff training shall be provided to ensure that staff are suitably able to perform the duties required of them. Internal auditing and corrective actionPeriodic internal audits are required to verify on-going compliance with the NFAS Accreditation Rules & Standards. Corrective & Preventative actions are required for any non-conformances identified, or for deficiencies identified which cannot be immediately rectified. Quality RecordsRecords shall be kept to provide documentary evidence of compliance with the NFAS Rules & Standards. These records shall provide a mechanism to assist in the independent auditing of the system. Document controlA list of all documents shall be maintained, and procedures put in place, to ensure that out of date documents are replaced by new versions. For more information on NFAS see the AUSMEAT site or contact 1800 621 903
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