What is the Oestradiol Free Females module?
The Oestradiol Free Females (OSF) module is an opt-in Livestock Production Assurance (LPA) module. It works alongside Australia’s Hormone Growth Promotant (HGP) free system to provide assurance that female cattle have never been treated with oestradiol products for breeding purposes.
Heifer and Cow eligibility
To be eligible to be traded as oestradiol free, heifers and cows must meet the following criteria:
- They must have been bred on the property
- They must not have been treated with Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs)
- They must not have been enrolled in an Artificial Insemination Synchronisation (AI sync) program using oestradiol
- They must not have been part of an Embryo Transfer (ET) program using oestradiol
If you are unsure whether any of these criteria apply to your herd, please consult your veterinarian or AI practitioner before completing your OSF declaration.
Joining Oestradiol Free Females
LPA accredited cattle producers who do not use oestradiol for breeding purposes on their female herd can opt-in to the Oestradiol Free Females module through their LPA account. Once approved, their Property Identification Code (PIC) and eligible devices (tags) will be flagged with an oestradiol free (OSF) status in the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS).
Step 1:
Login to your LPA account
Step 2:
Navigate to Account and select Programs
Step 3:
Join Oestradiol Free Females (OSF)
Step 4:
Complete Hormone Free eLearning
Step 5:
Complete the short Self-Assessment
Step 6:
Confirm your understanding and agree to the Oestradiol Free Females Module declaration.
Step 7:
Receive your Hormone Free Management Plan and updated LPA accreditation certificate.
Step 8:
Access the Oestradiol Free Declaration in eNVD to consign female cattle as oestradiol free.
Step 9:
Your PIC and eligible devices on the NLIS database will receive a “OSF” status to flag eligibility with processors.
Step 10:
Renew OSF accreditation every 2 years as part of your regular LPA accreditation.
Trading Oestradiol Free Cattle
Once accredited in the LPA module, your PIC and eligible NLIS devices (tags) will be assigned an Oestradiol Free (OSF) status in the NLIS.
After opting in to the module, all cattle born on an OSF accredited property that are tagged with an NLIS approved cattle breeder device will show up on the NLIS as oestradiol free. You can purchase oestradiol free female cattle from other oestradiol free accredited producers to retain their oestradiol free status. If you purchase stock from a property that does not have an OSF status, those cattle will not be assigned as oestradiol free in the NLIS.
When consigning oestradiol free female cattle off your property, you must:
- Opt-in to LPA’s Oestradiol Free Females module
- Ensure cattle are fitted with an NLIS approved device
- Use an electronic NVD (eNVD) to consign female cattle that have not been treated with oestradiol products or HGPs
This ensures the cattle's oestradiol free status remains and is verifiable through NLIS.
The oestradiol free status will be removed from an NLIS device if it moves to a producer not accredited in the Oestradiol Free Females module and if it loses lifetime traceability.
Producer how to Guide
Verifying Cattle’s Oestradiol Free Status
Before accepting cattle, check the incoming eNVD to confirm the Oestradiol Free Females and HGP declarations are complete. You should also visually inspect cattle for signs of hormone treatment, such as HGP pellets or a triangular ear mark, which may indicate previous HGP treatment. An oestradiol free status can also be verified in the NLIS for a property or individual animals by:
1.
Scanning or reading the NLIS device
2.
Logging in to your NLIS account
3.
Open the “View Devices on My Property” report
4.
Review the OSF status applied to devices registered to your PIC
For more detailed instructions, see the guide below.
Processor How to Guide
The below table provides information about each oestradiol status in NLIS:
| PIC Statuses |
|
| Code | Description |
| OSF | Oestradiol Free - applied to PICs of producers and feedlots who have completed the ‘Oestradiol Free Females’ voluntary module in LPA. |
| OSU | Oestradiol User - applied by LPA to PICs that indicate they use oestradiol on female cattle. |
| HOS | Hormone Sanction - applied to a PIC when LPA is investigating a hormone related matter. |
| HGP | HGP User - applied by LPA after verification HGP’s are used at a PIC. |
| NLIS Device Statuses |
|
| Code | Description |
| OSF | Oestradiol Free - applied to breeder devices on PICs that complete the ‘Oestradiol Free Females’ module. |
| OST | Oestradiol Treated - applied to all devices on an oestradiol user PIC to flag oestradiol treatment. |
Frequently Asked Questions
For heifers or female cattle born on your property, you need to consider the following:
- Have your female cattle ever been enrolled in an Artificial Insemination Synchronisation (AI sync) program using oestradiol?
- Have your female cattle ever been a donor or a recipient in an Embryo Transfer (ET) program using oestradiol?
If the answer to these questions is No, then these female cattle may be eligible for the UK market. Female cattle that were not born on your property are ineligible for the UK market.
If the answer to these questions is Yes, you need to check with your vet or AI practitioner to find out if oestradiol was used.
If you are LPA-accredited and have previously indicated you use oestradiol on farm an Oestradiol User status (OSU) will be added to your PIC in the NLIS database. All devices registered to this PIC will have an Oestradiol Treated Female status (OST) added to them. This OST status will remain for the cattle’s lifetime.
Processers will check the device status on the cattle to confirm the oestradiol status, and if they are eligible for the UK.
If you have previously declared oestradiol use and are seeking to become oestradiol free you will need to apply for the module and undergo an LPA audit to verify which animals, and corresponding devices, on farm are oestradiol free.
If this applies to you and you wish to access the UK market opt into the new Oestradiol Free Females module. This will enable you access to declare your cattle as both HGP and oestradiol free.
No. The new oestradiol free declaration is only available via the electronic National Vendor Declaration (eNVD). Traditional, printed forms in the NVD books cannot be used to consign oestradiol free female cattle. When consigning female cattle select ‘OSF’ on the form selection page, answer ‘No’ to HGP treatment and confirm no oestradiol treatment.
Yes. Producers seeking to ‘opt-out’ of the new Oestradiol Free Females voluntary module can do so at any time through their LPA account under the “Programs” section.
All detections of HGP or oestradiol in cattle will be investigated by Integrity Systems and a Hormone Sanction (HOS) PIC status will be applied to your PIC while an audit, investigation and corrective actions are undertaken. This does not impact you trading for non-hormone free markets.