Monitoring of pesticides and veterinary drugs in Australian cattle: verification of the residue control system

Abstract

The Australian National Residue Survey in partnership with the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service and industry routinely monitors beef to ensure that regulatory requirements for residues are being met. In the 10-year period from 1997 to 2006 a total of 128,902 samples were subjected to residue testing covering veterinary drugs and veterinary and agricultural pesticides in a random monitoring program. Residues of agricultural and veterinary chemicals exceeded the Australian standard in 13 and 7 samples, respectively. Greater than 99% of samples did not contain detectable residues above the Australian standard while greater than 90% of samples did not contain any residues of compounds included in the survey. The results of the surveys provide verification that the Australian residue control system is appropriate and that the requirements of countries importing Australian meat products can be satisfied. The surveys have also demonstrated that industry based programs and state based regulatory controls over sites contaminated with organochlorine residues are effective in managing residues of these chemicals in cattle.

Remote chemical immobilisation method for free‐ranging Australian cattle

“…Legislation regarding the administration of veterinary chemicals to livestock is complicated in Australia, with legislative interpretation differing between jurisdictions . In some jurisdictions of Australia, it is prohibited to administer any product that has a label claim stating that it should not be used in food‐producing animals and prescribing veterinarians may be prosecuted if they ignore these claims.…”

A review of potential contaminants in Australian livestock feeds and proposed guidance levels for feed

“…The livestock industry has conducted additional assessments for these compounds based on either meeting or reducing the risk of not complying with differing standards in export markets. Consequently, it is considered that current pesticides and veterinary medicines are adequately addressed within the current system (MacLachlan and Bhula 2008;Lutze et al 2009). …”