A number of people in the South East region of NSW have become involved with keeping pigs – either as pets, to breed as a hobby or perhaps as a source of pork.
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There are a few important things to keep in mind and the Local Land Services is encouraging pig owners to do their homework, so their practices meet required standards.
Regardless of the size of your enterprise or hobby farm, whether you own one pig or 100, pig owners need to be aware of the laws against swill feeding.
Swill feeding is the practice of feeding prohibited substances, which include food scraps that contain meat or that has been in contact with meat.
Significant penalties, including heavy fines of up to $11,000, apply to anyone feeding or supplying prohibited substances to pigs.
Swill can contain a number of viruses which are currently not present in Australia.
The 2001 Foot and Mouth Disease outbreak in the UK was caused by swill feeding.
That has led to laws being put in place in Australia, including the law against swill feeding, to actively reduce the risk of such exotic viruses becoming established within our livestock populations.
Swill can contain a number of viruses which are currently not present in Australia.
- Local Land Services
If you have a pet pig, run a commercial piggery or work in the food industry, you need to know what can and cannot be fed to pigs.
Foods that are prohibited to feed pigs include:
- sausage rolls, bacon, pies, pizza, deli meats, table scraps, etc;
- household, commercial or restaurant waste;
- any carcass or part of carcass of any animal, including meat, bone, blood, offal, hide or feathers; and
- droppings of any animal.
Foods that are not prohibited to feed pigs include:
- milk, milk products or by-products of Australian origin;
- eggs;
- tallow, gelatine;
- manufactured dry dog/cat food;
- dry meal made from meat, blood, bone, feathers;
- non-meat bakery waste;
- fruit, vegetable, cereal or legume waste; and
- vegetable oil or oilseed waste.
As part of the commitment to biosecurity, Local Land Services has been conducting swill feeding inspections of properties with pigs around the South East.
The aims include raising awareness about swill feeding, and to communicate with and educate owners to prevent any negative outcomes.
If you require any further information relating to swill feeding or other livestock related issues, please contact your nearest Local Land Services office.
