Stockfeed compliance: Cotton gin trash

In dry conditions, producers may look for alternative feeds to keep livestock going. Cotton gin trash can be a useful option in some parts of Australia, but it needs to be managed carefully to protect animal health, food safety and market access.  

To help producers manage these risks, industry has developed a cotton gin trash protocol. Approved by SAFEMEAT, the protocol forms part of the Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) program and must be followed by LPA-accredited producers who use cotton gin trash as stockfeed. 

The protocol helps ensure livestock fed cotton gin trash continue to meet Australian food standards and the requirements of global markets. Livestock that have been fed, or had access to, cotton gin trash must complete a 60-day clean feed period before entering the food chain.  

Following the protocol helps producers using cotton gin trash meet the food safety requirements of their LPA accreditation. 

How the cotton gin protocol works 
Producers must source cotton gin trash from approved cotton gins. When an approved cotton gin supplies cotton gin trash, it notifies Integrity Systems. Integrity Systems will then apply a cotton gin trash PIC status (CTP) and cotton gin trash accessed (CTA) status to livestock registered to the PIC in the NLIS database.  

An LPA audit is required to remove these statuses. The audit verifies that no more cotton gin trash remains on the property, and that livestock remaining on the property have completed the 60-day clean feed period.   

Producers should also be aware that some buyers may choose not to purchase livestock that have been fed cotton gin trash unless they have completed the 60-day clean feed period. This could affect the value of livestock or delay processing to meet food safety and market access requirements. 

For more information on accessing cotton gin trash under LPA refer to the information on LPA alternative feedstuffs or the LPA Factsheet.

Tips for safe stockfeed
Managing stockfeed carefully helps protect livestock and supports the integrity of Australian red meat. To meet LPA requirements for animal feed, producers need to:  

• Obtain a Commodity Vendor Declaration (CVD) for all introduced stockfeeds and keep it on file.
• If a CVD is not available, assess the risk of contamination and keep appropriate records. Either apply a 60-day withholding period or retain a sample for testing.
• Ensure only trained and competent people apply approved chemicals to grazing land and stockfeed, and always follow label directions.
• Ensure equipment used to measure or apply chemicals is calibrated and cleaned before use.
• Do not feed livestock restricted animal material (RAM), including feed that contains animal products.
• Store agricultural chemicals safely and according to instructions, particularly where livestock cannot access them.
• Have systems in place to identify livestock that may have accessed treated paddocks or contaminated feed.
• Record all agricultural chemical use, including spray drift and any chemicals used on introduced stockfeed.
• Declare active withholding periods and any potentially contaminated livestock on outgoing LPA National Vendor Declarations (NVDs) when selling stock.
• Maintain a system to map or list treated or potentially contaminated areas and clearly signpost them on farm.
• Review and complete the Stock foods, fodder crops, grain and pasture treatments checklist. 

By safely managing contamination risks in stockfeed, fodder crops, grain and pastures, producers can help ensure livestock and the red meat they produce do not pose a food safety risk to consumers.  

Good stockfeed management also helps protect the integrity of Australia’s red meat industry and maintain access to export markets.