What is the Oestradiol Free Females module?
The 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.
Adding 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).
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.