Managing Specified Risk Material Under the Enhanced Feed Ban

Beginning July 12, 2007, enhanced feed ban regulations will be in effect. The new regulations are designed to complement existing measures to eliminate bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) from the Canadian cattle herd as quickly as possible. The change will have an impact on Ontario's livestock producers.

Background:

In BSE-infected cattle, the BSE agent concentrates in tissues known as specified risk materials (SRM). BSE is believed to be spread when cattle consume feed containing SRM from infected cattle. To protect public health, these tissues have been removed from all cattle slaughtered for human consumption since 2003.

To prevent the spread of BSE among cattle, Canada banned most mammalian animal proteins, including SRM, from cattle feed in 1997. To better protect animal health at large, as of July 12, 2007 enhanced federal regulations also ban SRM from all other animal feeds, pet foods and fertilizers.

According to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), removing SRM from the entire animal feed system greatly reduces the potential contamination of cattle feed during production, distribution, storage or use. Applying precautions to pet food and fertilizer materials limits the possibility of cattle and other susceptible animals being exposed to these products. The enhanced regulations should result in a speedier eradication of BSE from the national cattle herd.

Specified Risk Materials:

SRM are those cattle tissues which are thought to have the potential of transmitting BSE.

They include:

• the skull, brain, trigeminal ganglia (nerves attached to the brain), eyes, tonsils, spinal cord, and dorsal root ganglia (nerves attached to the spinal cord) of all cattle aged 30 months or older; and
• the distal ileum (portion of the small intestine) of cattle of all ages.

The whole carcass is considered to be SRM for any cattle deadstock from which the SRM has not been removed.

Livestock producers who handle, transport or dispose of cattle remains need to be aware of their responsibilities under the new regulations.

On-Farm Disposal of Cattle Deadstock:

For producers who dispose of cattle deadstock on-farm there are no added requirements under the new regulations. Carcasses must still be disposed of either by burial or composting as required under Ontario's Dead Animal Disposal Act (DADA). In this case, all cattle remains, including any composted material, must remain on the farm. It is also necessary to continue reporting the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) ear tag numbers of deadstock to the database for removal.

Transporting SRM Off-Farm:

As of July 12, 2007, any cattle deadstock that are moved off-farm must be stained with a visible stripe applied down the back of each carcass. Any raw SRM removed from a carcass must also be dyed.

It is anticipated that dead animal collectors will assume responsibility for applying the stripe prior to removal of carcasses. Nonetheless, cattle producers who normally use the services of a dead animal collector are advised to discuss this with their service provider.

For cattle producers transporting their own deadstock to a receiver, there are additional changes under the new regulations.

Prior to moving any SRM, including cattle deadstock, off-farm a permit must be obtained from the CFIA. The application form is available through the CFIA (contact information below). The permits are free, issued for 90 days, and may involve an on-farm inspection by CFIA staff.

Producers who transport their deadstock in Ontario are already required to have a clearly displayed marker affixed to their transport vehicle as part of provincial regulations under the DADA. A valid DADA marker is required to obtain a permit to transport SRM from the CFIA.

DADA markers are free, issued annually and can be obtained through the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) (contact information below). In order to qualify for a DADA marker the following minimum requirements must be met:

• Vehicles used for transporting deadstock must be approved by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
• Vehicles must be constructed to prevent spillage of liquids
• Dead animals must be covered at all times during transport
• Dead animals must not be transported together with live animals
• After delivering to a deadstock receiving plant, the vehicle must be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before leaving the plant premises.

Producers should be aware that they are only allowed to deliver cattle deadstock to a facility that has a CFIA permit to receive SRM material. Check with staff at your normal delivery site to ensure that they have this permit.

Records:

Record keeping requirements have been added under the new regulations. Producers must record the following information for any movement of SRM and cattle deadstock off-farm:

• name and address of the transporter
• date of movement
• name of the dye used to mark the deadstock or SRM
• Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (or Quebec) tag number
• the combined weight of SRM and carcasses considered SRM, as well as the number of carcasses, and
• the destination.

Because of the long incubation period for BSE these records must be kept for 10 years.

Feed:

The 1997 feed ban that prohibits most proteins derived from mammals from use in ruminant feed still applies. These materials can still be fed to non-ruminants including chickens, pigs and horses. However, effective July 12, 2007 all feed, regardless of the species it is fed to, must be manufactured from SRM-free ingredients.

For more information about the new SRM regulations contact the CFIA at 1-800-442-2342 or visit www.inspection.gc.ca/bse .

Contacts for more information:

Canadian Food Inspection Agency
1-800-442-2342
www.inspection.gc.ca/bse

Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
Kevin Joynes, Dead Animal Disposal Advisor
519-826-7510
www.ontario.ca/omafra

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