RESPONSIBLE WOOL STANDARD
NUTRITION MODULE
1. Nutrition
Sheep should be provided access to food and water appropriate to their physiological state, thus maintaining health and vigour, and avoiding
prolonged hunger, malnutrition and thirst. (IWTO).
Nr.
REQUIREMENT
GUIDANCE
COMMENT
IWTO: Sheep shall have access to feed and water appropriate to their age and needs.
1.1
Sheep must have access to nutritious 1.1.1 Water points supplied from troughs, drinkers or natural water
feed and an adequate supply of clean,
sources should be clean and be of good quality and an accessible
safe drinking water each day.
level at all times.
1.1.2 Feed from rations, pasture grazing and supplement feeding is
palatable, meets nutritional needs and is of adequate supply and
quality to maintain body condition appropriate to age.
1.1.3 A feeding plan covering feed composition, grazing access, special
dietary needs, additional mineral preparations and compounds
feeds appropriate for their age shall be available.
1.1.4 Exception from the above is possible when directed by an
attending veterinarian.
IWTO: Self-feeders and watering points shall be checked regularly to ensure feed and water quality and quantity is maintained.
1.2 Routine checks and monitoring are
1.2.1 Equipment used to deliver feed and water is cleaned and
conducted regularly to ensure feed and
maintained in good working order and any problems promptly
water quality and quantity is
rectified.
maintained.
1.2.2 Pasture grazing and water from natural sources should be
routinely monitored as a management practice.
1.2.3 Stock and domestic water is checked for salinity, nutrients and
chemicals, at least annually.
1.3 Sheep’s body condition is monitored as 1.3.1 Body condition scoring (BCS) is conducted as a management
a management practice to ensure body
practice.
condition scoring (BCS) is maintained 1.3.2 Adult sheep should have a BCS of between 3 and 4.
according to the stage of production to 1.3.3 If BCS is 2 or less, appropriate action is taken to return the animal
sustain good health and a normal
to good health.
reproductive capacity.
1.4 Where reasonable management
1.4.1
practices occur (such as shearing,
transport, or slaughter) causing a longer 1.4.2
period off feed and water, deprivation
should be limited.
1.4.3
Sheep held in sheds or yards for management practices (such as
shearing) are monitored for time held off feed and water.
Lambs and pregnant ewes should not held off feed and water for
more than 24hrs, other classes of sheep should not be held of
feed and water for more than 48hrs.
Animals in ill health or poor condition should not be deprived of
food or water
1.5 Stocking rates are measured based on 1.5.1 Rates are determined according to class of stock, season, available
feed and total grazing pressure.
land type, pasture quality and seasonal
1.5.2
The amount of feed on offer1 is measured to calculate the number
conditions to plan pasture, feeding
of available grazing days.
rations and water resource availability.
1
See References at the end of this module.
IWTO: If sufficient feed and water cannot be provided to sheep (e.g. in freezing or drought conditions), options should be considered to
relocate (e.g. sending sheep on adjustment to another farm), to sell, or to humanely dispose of the sheep before their welfare is adversely
affected.
2.1 In exceptional circumstances (such as 2.1.1 Supplementary feeding plan is in place for emergency situations
severe freezing or drought conditions)
or animals are relocated to area with accessible nutritious feed
strategies are made in advance to
2.1.2 A plan is in place to maintain stock water supplies in the event of a
ensure adequate feed and water can be
severe weather (drought)
made available to sheep.
2.2 If animal welfare is at risk,
arrangements to relocate, sell, or
humanely dispose of the sheep are
made to ensure their welfare is not
adversely affected.
2.2.1 In poor seasonal conditions animal are relocated or sold before
their welfare is put at risk.
2.2.2 If BCS of any sheep falls to 1, urgent remedial action is taken to
improve condition or the animal must be destroyed humanely.
2.3 Drought affected sheep highly
2.2.3
susceptible to stress should be treated
and handled with care.
Where minimal water and food
requirements cannot be met grazing
should be hired or supplemental feed
given if economically viable, or the stock
must be sent for slaughter to prevent
suffering.
IWTO: Access to contaminated and spoilt feed, toxic plants and harmful substances must be avoided.
3.1 Access to poisonous plants,
contaminated feed and harmful
substances must be avoided.
Feed must be of good quality and free
of molds and poisonous plants and
seeds.
IWTO: Digestive problems should be prevented by gradually introducing sheep to a change of diet.
3.2 Digestive problems should be prevented 3.2.1
by gradually introducing sheep to a
change of diet. Sudden changes in type 3.2.2
and quantity of food should be avoided.
Pastures shall be monitored for changes in herbage, grasses and
weeds after weather events.
Sheep are introduced to crop grazing and or supplementary
feeding appropriately.
3.3
Substances and feedstuff prohibited:
 Antibiotics (unless disease treatment as directed by a
Diet shall not include growth hormones
veterinarian) or other substances deliberately to promote growth
or animal by products.
or feed efficiency.
 Feeding meat or animal by-products
TE: Records
4.1 Producers should have written records
of the feed constituents, the inclusion
rate and constituents of compound
feeds and feed supplements, including
records from the feed mill or supplier.
References
Feed on Offer:
Feed On Offer (FOO) is the amount of pasture in front of an animal at any one time, measured in kilograms of dry matter
per hectare (kg DM/ha). It is a balance between pasture growth and the removal of pasture by grazing animals. FOO is
therefore a useful indicator for managing both animal and pasture production. Using animals to maintain a target FOO
requires knowledge of the rate of pasture growth and the rate of pasture removal by grazing animals.
FOO targets to match production objectives have been identified for different classes of animal, and for various aspects
of pasture production - such as composition and insect populations. The appropriate FOO target depends on the class of
stock, and on production objectives for animals and pastures.
Reference from AWI ‘http://www.feedonofferlibrary.com’