Occasionally, livestock producers may treat animals with approved medications or treat pastures with approved chemicals. In order to prevent any risk to trade Australia has an Export Slaughter Interval (ESI) program in place.

An ESI is the period of time that should elapse between the treatment of an animal with a veterinary drug or chemical and sending the animal to slaughter for export. Where an ESI applies to a chemical used on pasture or a feed crop, the ESI is the period for which an animal should be on untreated feed before it is sent to slaughter for export. The use of ESIs ensures that the risk to trade from residues in meat and offal is minimised and provides an industry standard to ensure export requirements are met.  Producers are required to keep up to datewith ESIs for a wide range of medications and they must declare whether the ESIs have been met on the National Vendor Declaration.

Withholding Periods (WHPs) are the periods following treatment when cattle are unsuitable for processing for domestic consumption in Australia.

Export Slaughter Intervals and Withholding Periods (WHPs) are constantly being reviewed and updated. The current ESIs are published with NVD books as well as on the MLA website. Click here  to view the ESIs and WHPs.