NZFMA - Ruminant Protein Regulations

Ruminant Protein regulations

New Zealand's livestock populations are free from Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (or TSE's). These include Scrapie in sheep and goats, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (or BSE) in cows and Chronic Wasting Disease (or CWD) in deer.

To ensure that New Zealand livestock remains free of TSE's, a range of biosecurity measures are currently in place. As such,

All TSEs are notifiable in New Zealand and have been since 1993. BSE has been a notifiable disease since 1989, while Scrapie has been a notifiable disease since 1952
Importation of live sheep and goats can only occur strict import regulations
There have been no imports of live cattle from Europe for many years. This has largely been replaced by the importation of semen and embryos which is easier and safer
A TSE surveillance programme is in place for cattle, sheep and farmed deer exhibiting signs of nervous disorder or other signs suggestive of a TSE. New Zealand meets the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) requirements for testing.
As TSE's spread when cud-chewing animals like cattle, sheep, goat, deer, llamas and alpacas consume feed derived from TSE-infected animals, there is a ban on the feeding of ruminant protein to ruminant animals.

Biosecurity (Ruminant Protein) Amendment Regulations 2010

The Biosecurity (Ruminant Protein) Regulations 1999 were amended in 2010.

How do the regulations affect feed manufacturers?

One of the risks which must be managed under the Biosecurity (Ruminant Protein) Regulations 1999 is the risk of contamination by ruminant protein of feed intended for ruminants in feed mills that also produce feed for non-ruminant animals.

As such operators of "multi-species" mills will need to prepare ruminant protein control programmes that specify how they will manage and minimise the risk of contamination. These programmes must be submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for registration and audited every year by an independent verification agency. Clauses 5 to 12 of the regulations set out the requirements and procedures relating to ruminant protein control programmes.

More information can be found on the Biosecurity New Zealand website.

Final Report of a European Commission Food and Veterinary Office Audit Mission to New Zealand

Click here to download a pdf version of the report. The report can also be found on the Food and Veterinary Office (EUROPA) website.

Audit finds high compliance with ruminant protein regulations

Click here to see a copy of the article published in Biosecurity, Issue 73, February 2007.

OIE recognises New Zealand BSE risk as negligible

New Zealand has been granted negligible BSE risk disease status at the 75^th General Session of the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE), held in Paris last week. More information can be found on the MAF website.