Grower Accreditation Criteria

Section 3: Important Procedures

3.1 Animal Welfare

High standards of animal welfare have always been an important part of good animal husbandry. However, they are now of even greater importance in overseas markets, as more affluent consumers look for products which are produced in systems which they believe to be friendly to both animals and the environment.

3.1.1 Code for the Welfare of Sheep

Accredited growers should comply with the minimum standards of the “Code of Recommendations and Minimum Standards for the Welfare of Sheep” published by the Animal Welfare Advisory Committee in June 1996.

3.1.2 Winter Shearing

Requirement

Accredited growers who shear during the colder months must explain in their Quality Plan how they will protect their shorn sheep from exposure in the event of bad weather.

Recommendation

When planning shearing during winter or months when there is a high risk of adverse weather all sheep should be shorn with winter combs or blades.

When deciding on winter shearing, consideration must be given to:

• the location of the property and the identification of any features that may impact on potential risk
• the number of sheep normally shorn at each shearing
• the availability of shelter, both natural and manmade

3.2 Dip Residues

Requirement

Dip residues in the New Zealand wool clip need to be kept within limits which are acceptable to overseas and New Zealand wool processors. To achieve this, sheep must not be shorn within the withholding period for the breed.

Dipping includes saturation treatments, jetting and pour-ons applied to manufacturers’ directions of use, but does not include spot treatments.

3.2.1 Withholding Periods & Application Technique

At present, a 60-day withholding period is the general recommendation for all sheep, but dips degrade less rapidly in fine wools, so accredited clips must conform to the withholding periods listed below. This applies no matter what product sheep are dipped with.

Crossbreds

Must not be shorn within the 60 days after dipping.

Mid-micron

Must not be shorn within the 100 days after dipping.

Merino

Must not be shorn within the 180 days after dipping.

3.2.2 Dipping technique restrictions

Note: Dip technique restrictions apply only to fine wool sheep i.e. breeds with a Merino genetic base e.g. Merino, Polwarth, Halfbred, Corriedale, Cormo, Quarter-bred etc.

Requirement

High volume saturation dipping techniques (such as shower, mini shower or plunge dipping) must not be used on fine wool sheep with greater than eight weeks wool growth.

These techniques, when applied to long wool (i.e. especially fine wool sheep with greater than eight weeks growth) have been identified as generating extremely high dip residues on wool at shearing.

Wools that have a residue test certificate showing dip residues at less than 2 mg/kg total Synthetic Pyrethroids (SP), and less than 5 mg/kg total Organophosphate (OP) on the fibre, may still be sold as QA lots. When requesting residue tests farmers should identify the dip brand applied.

Dipping technique recommendations can be found in the publication “Fly and Lice: Numbering their Days” available from Meat & Wool Innovation or your dip chemical supplier.

If a Fernmark Quality Programme accredited lot is found to contain dip residues greater than 10 mg/kg total dip residue (IGR SP+OP), then that farm will be required to provide a dip residue certificate on all wool categories (ewe, wether and hoggets) to be sold in the next season before FQP status can be confirmed.

3.2.3 Shearing & Dipping Records

Requirement

Shearing & Dipping Records must be completed for each stock class of sheep dipped and show the ...

• Date sheep were dipped
• Numbers and class(es) of sheep
• The brand of dip used and dilution rate
• Dipping technique used
• The average weight/per animal where the dose is determined by animal liveweight
• Actual shearing date

3.2.4 Restricted Dips

Requirement

Only licensed and registered remedies may be used. Sheep must not be dipped with any product containing dichlofenthion, such as TRIGON DFF.

Section 4 – Sheep Preparation