Model code of practice for the welfare of animals: cattle

The Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Cattle was endorsed by the Primary Industries Ministerial Council in July 1989. It was adopted by the Australian Veterinary Association’s (AVA’s) Policy Council in February 1991 on the recommendation of the association’s Advisory Committee on Animal Welfare. The code is available from CSIRO Publishing.[1] A brief summary follows.

The code addresses the issues of ‘adequate ... cool, clean drinking water’, air, dust, food, drought, protection from climatic extremes and predation. It also examines housing, space and accommodation and recommends that the Australian Lot Feeders’ Association Code of Practice should be followed. There are sections on artificial rearing of calves, cattle handling facilities, mustering and yarding.

Recommended management practices are described for supervision, milking practices, castration, spaying, tail docking, identification, dehorning, mating, calving and weaning practices and marketing of bobby calves. Other sections cover health, agistment, feral cattle and humane destruction of cattle. The appendixes to the code are:

Water for livestock

Feed requirement guidelines.

Other relevant policies and position statements

Beef and sheep feedlots

Minimum requirements for trough and yard space in intensive animal systems (cattle)

Date of ratification by AVA Board: 1 Jan 1997