No more Skippy for Oz cattle
23 January 2001
No more Skippy for Oz cattle
By FWi staff
KANGAROO products could be banned from Australian cattle rations under proposals to tighten up feed legislation.
Federal Agriculture Minister Warren Truss plans to discuss more comprehensive bans on mammalian feed with state farm ministers in March.
The recent BSE scares throughout Europe have focused attention on Australias animal feed laws.
While feeding ruminant meat to ruminants was not practised in Australia and officially banned in 1997, other mammalian material can be fed.
Under Australian law material, including kangaroo, pig, horse, fish, tallow and blood, can still legally be given to cows and other ruminants.
Cattle Council of Australias executive officer, Justin Toohey, told The Weekly Times newspaper that “the exemptions were scientifically sound”.
He added: “In any case, youd be battling to find anyone feeding mammalian produce to herbivores, even though it is still legal in some cases.”
Mr Toohey said although there was no scientific reasons to widen the ban the council would support the Federal Government if it took this route.
- For further details on Australian proposals to tighten up feed legislation click here
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