Safe LPA record keeping for responsible treatments

Above: Sue and Herb George's Santa Gertrudis breeding operation in western Queensland.

As spring marking season approaches, increased pain relief products become available and biosecurity threats converge, livestock producers accredited through Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) are being urged to brush up on their knowledge of safe and responsible administration of animal treatments and record keeping.  

For Sue and Herb George – owners of a Santa Gertrudis breeding operation in western Queensland – correct use, recording and storage of animal medicine and treatment products is just part of good business.  

They began using pain relief products on their cattle in 2020. They annually treat their cattle for lice and buffalo flies but primarily administer pain medication Meloxicam during earmarking, branding and dehorning – particularly to increase their access to markets demanding polled cattle. 

"I made sure to consult with our vets about what product would be the most suitable, and we order everything through them. I went through chemical accreditation with ChemCERT and all my biosecurity training through Cattle Care and LPA – everything was covered so we could ensure we were doing the right thing,” Sue said. 

“The paperwork is second nature, and it’s done as soon as possible.  

“We keep track of everything, and everything has its place. We have a locked fridge designated to vet supplies and chemical storage and we have separate binders for our chemical inventories and LPA paperwork – NVDs, treatment dates, expiry of our chemicals, everything.  

“You must keep good records of what you use, when, who does it and how much there was.” 

Sue agrees that the whole industry should be mindful of the importance of record keeping because of LPA.  

“It’s about the safety of our livestock and the sales that are important to our businesses – lifetime traceability of animals is crucial,” she said. 

Steps for effective record keeping 

These treatments will ensure your livestock are free from disease and further medical complications. Animal treatments must always be administered in a safe and responsible manner to minimise the risk of chemical residues and physical hazards to livestock. This involves keeping complete and accurate records for every chemical application. Steps to assist in this include:  

• the regular review and completion of the Safe and Responsible Animal Treatments Checklist  
• documenting all animal treatment details via our LPA record form 
• completing a certified chemical user’s course
• recording cleaning information of treatment equipment  
• keeping written authorisation and directions for all use of chemicals or drugs  
• identifying, recording and segregating animals that may have been exposed to physical contaminants, such as broken needles 
• identifying every animal treated with hormone growth promotants (HGP) with a triangular ear mark.    

Record keeping for biosecurity 

This high priority of record-keeping, particularly in an animal medicine setting, will also support producers’ abilities to mitigate and trace any disease outbreaks that may occur, including foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and lumpy skin disease (LSD). 

"Forewarned is forearmed. There is definitely a very heightened concern amongst all Australian producers. At this time, it reinforces the need for us all to be vigilant with any updates from reliable industry sources – and our biosecurity plans, including all record-keeping, will be imperative if any outbreak occurs,” Sue said. 

Along will keeping records of your animal treatments, ensure you are keeping an eye out for possible symptoms of disease, and contact the relevant authorities if you suspect infection. Some steps include: 

• Completing and regularly reviewing your Biosecurity Plan and Property Risk Assessment  
• Informing your veterinarian 
• Calling the Emergency Animal Disease Watch Hotline on 1800 675 888 
• Visiting FMD/LSD: What you need to know | Integrity Systems for more information 

Requirements for veterinary treatments 

Veterinary drugs should only be used when necessary. When used, animals must get an effective course of treatment with minimal risk of adverse side effects, including carcase residues or physical contaminants. 

Some important steps for veterinary treatments involve: 

• only allowing people who are trained and/or competent to administer animal treatments 
• following the directions on the label or from the vet 
• only using in-date and approved veterinary chemicals 
• storing chemicals in a secure place according to instructions on the label  
• making sure all equipment is working correctly and calibrated before use 
• having management systems in place to prevent cross-contamination between treated and non-treated animals 
• administering veterinary chemical injections in the neck (unless site specific) and minimising damage to the site 
• recording livestock treatments, including adverse reactions, and passing this on when selling stock. 

What details do I need to note? 

Keeping thorough and complete records of livestock chemicals and animal treatments is essential for LPA accreditation and the assurance of food safety and livestock health. If other members of the value chain, including processors and exporters, cannot confirm the chemical treatment of your livestock, livestock may not be eligible for sale or processing.  

Your records should include details on the: 

• date of treatment 
• animal identification 
• chemical/drug used, including batch number and expiry date 
• dose rate 
• relevant Withholding Period and/or Export Slaughter Interval (and date of expiry) 
• adverse reactions or possible broken needles 

Conducting animal treatments in line with LPA requirements is crucial to our industry, helping to keep your livestock safe and healthy while reducing the risks of chemical residues and physical hazards. Ensuring complete records of any and all treatments and incidents also helps retain your livestock’s lifetime traceability – meaning you can stand by what you sell.