Feeding your pigs

5 July 2005

Feeding your pigs

New pig feeding regulations aim to mitigate the risk of foot and mouth disease and control the spread of other diseases, like swine vesicular disease and classical swine fever.

From 7 July 2005, all food containing meat that is fed to pigs must be heated to 100ºC for one hour.

The easiest way to comply with the regulations is to boil meat and food waste containing meat for one hour, stirring frequently.

Items that do not have to be heated to 100ºC before consumption include: commercially manufactured pig feed; food waste that does not contain meat and has not been in contact with meat; and eggs, milk or rendered material.

Although the risk of foot and mouth disease, or other serious exotic diseases, infecting New Zealand livestock through feeding of food wastes to pigs is low, the consequences to farmers and the whole economy would be great.

Under the Biosecurity Act 1993, individuals found feeding non-compliant food to pigs can be fined a maximum of $5,000. Corporations in breach of the new regulations face a $15,000 fine.

The Biosecurity (Meat and Food Waste for Pigs) Regulations 2005 can be found at www.knowledge-basket.co.nz/regs/reglists.html

For more information visit: www.biosecurity.govt.nz

ENDS

© Scoop Media