The feeding of prohibited pig feed to pigs is banned in Australia, as it has been shown to cause outbreaks of serious animal diseases overseas.
Agriculture Victoria compliance manager Daniel Bode said regardless of how many pigs anyone kept, pig owners played a vital role in maintaining the health and welfare of Australia’s livestock.
“There are a number of requirements for pig owners that are mandatory and are monitored by state government and industry authorities,” Mr Bode said.
“Pigs are recognised as ‘high-risk’ animals, playing a potential role in the establishment of a number of exotic diseases that could devastate the agricultural sector and impact on human health.
“The principal risk is through the feeding of prohibited substances that could contain exotic viruses.”
The exotic diseases most likely to be introduced into Australia through prohibited feeding are foot-and-mouth disease and either classical or African swine fever.
Mr Bode said livestock disease control breaches could jeopardise Victoria’s status as a responsible producer of food, which could, in turn, be devastating for affected industries.
As a timely reminder, at Echuca Magistrates’ Court recently, a local farmer pleaded guilty to a single offence under the Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 for allowing his pigs to have access to prohibited pig feed.
The farmer was sentenced without conviction, given an 18-month adjourned undertaking to be of good behaviour, with a special condition to pay $2000 to the court fund.
Agriculture Victoria officers attended the property to conduct a prohibited pig feeding audit and observed a sow and piglets contained in a pen with a cow carcase. Lab testing of the carcase detected beef and traces of pork.
The court heard the farmer has since sold all his pigs on the property, removed pigs from his property identification code and had his pig tattoo brand disbanded.
Magistrate Peter Mithen, in sentencing, acknowledged Prosecution Services submissions about the biosecurity risks associated with prohibited pig feeding and the impact on the wider community.
He also considered defence submissions about the farmer’s good standing in the farming community, which were supported by character references.
For more information about prohibited pig feeding, contact Agriculture Victoria on 136 186 or aw.complaint@agriculture.vic.gov.au
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