The Flockcare system is an on-farm quality assurance program for producers raising lambs and sheep.
Flockcare addresses:
- Food safety, chemicals and residues
- Animal health, husbandry and welfare.
- Preparation, presentation and transport.
The Flockcare program is also an important initiative in industry self-regulation, to ensure correct practice without government intervention or supervision. Flockcare is a voluntary program, which addresses the following aspects of farm management. Some aspects of Flockcare are covered by LPA level 1.
- Persistent chemicals in soil
The risk of soil on the property being contaminated with persistent chemicals must be assessed and recorded. Contaminated land must be managed to prevent unacceptable residues accumulating in lambs and sheep. Feedlot sites shall be assessed for persistent chemicals through soil or fat testing.
- Obtaining and storing chemicals
Managers need to ensure that only legally available and properly labelled chemicals are obtained and used. A secure storage area shall be provided. Accurate records shall be maintained of all chemicals used and where and how they were disposed of.
- Paddock, crop and grain treatments
Application of chemicals to pastures and crops shall be recorded to ensure that quarantine periods are observed prior to grazing or harvesting.
- Animal welfare
Management and staff shall be familiar with the Animal Welfare Code of Practice – Sheep.
- Sheep identification
Lambs shall be clearly identified from weaning. Identification by mob is adequate unless the chemical treatment varies within the mob. Accurate treatment records shall be kept to ensure that contaminated animals are not included in consignments offered for sale or slaughter.
- Sheep transaction records and procedures
Accurate records shall be kept of purchases, sales and movements. They need to be sufficiently detailed to enable reliable traceback. A detailed history of lambs and sheep purchased shall be obtained and recorded.
Sale lambs and sheep shall be checked to ensure that recently treated animals have passed their withholding period or export slaughter intervals prior to slaughter.
- Carcase quality, bruising damage and skin blemishes
Attention to yard design, construction and maintenance is required to minimise obstructions and harsh contact points liable to cause bruising or skin damage. Yard maintenance shall also help avoid contamination of animals with mud or dung.
Dehorning of rams shall occur before 12 months. There shall be only minimal use of dogs or electric prodders. No rough flogging equipment shall be used.
- Sale preparation and transport
Truck interiors shall be free of obstruction and have non-slip floors. Unlike lambs and sheep shall not be penned together. Multiple decked trailers shall be designed to minimise soiling of lambs and sheep on the lower decks.
- Responsible chemical use
Managers need to ensure that staff read and follow directions for use. Equipment shall be thoroughly cleaned before storage and re-use. Treated lambs and sheep shall be identified or segregated and withheld from sale until the withholding period or export slaughter interval has elapsed. Any adverse reactions shall be recorded and discussed with a veterinarian.
- Animal treatments
Managers shall ensure that treatments of stock are adequately recorded to enable traceback.
- Introduced stockfeed
Care is needed to ensure that purchased stockfeeds do not contain contamination of unacceptable chemicals.
- Internal check procedures
All operators shall carry out regular checks to verify continuing compliance and take any corrective or preventive action required.
- Staff training
Employees shall have adequate training to enable them to meet the requirements of Flockcare. Records shall be kept. Employees authorised to use farm chemicals shall attend a recognised farm chemical user's course.
Flockcare recognises the fact that many property owners run both sheep and cattle and is compatible with the CATTLECARE Code of Practice.