• Animal health & welfare
• Animal health
• Animal welfare
  • MLA On-farm Animal Welfare strategy
  • Animal welfare codes of practice
  • Transport guide
  • Feedlot heat stress
  • Heat load
  • Live export heat stress
• A guide to best practice husbandry in beef cattle

Animal welfare codes of practice

Animal welfare regulations include reference to codes of practice that define what is generally regarded as acceptable welfare practices for livestock husbandry and transport.

In this section:

• Codes of Practice
• Animal welfare legislation in Australia
• Export standards
• More information

Codes of Practice

The following Codes of Practice are available for download or as printed publications from the CSIRO website, where you can find more information and a full list of industry related codes of practice.

• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Cattle
  Download from CSIRO (PDF, 580KB) or order a hardcopy from CSIRO
  
  
• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: The Sheep 
  Order a hardcopy from CSIRO
  
  
• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: The Goat 
  Download from CSIRO (PDF,808KB) or Order a hardcopy fron CSIRO
  
  
• Model Code of Practice for the Welfare of Animals: Land Transport of Cattle
  Download from CSIRO  (PDF, 552KB) or Order a hardcopy from CSIRO
  

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Animal welfare legislation in Australia

Each state has its own animal welfare Act and accompanying regulations that affect people who own or work with animals including farmers, livestock transporters, livestock exporters, saleyard personnel and processors.

The regulations include the reference to codes of practice (codes) that define what is generally regarded as acceptable welfare practices for livestock husbandry and transport. Compliance with the codes can be used as a defence against a charge of cruelty.

The current rationalisation of the various Commonwealth, State and Territory codes of practice into a national set of standards for animal welfare as recommended by the Neumann report is working with the following principles:

1. A strong national framework for the development of `minimum standards'  with species specific definitions of animal welfare that are underpinned by legislation. minimum standards shold be outcome-based and measurable.
2. An efficient, agreed process for developing and maintaining minimum standard and best practice guidelines.
3. Consistency across state and territory jurisdictions in the application (enforcement) of legislation.
4. An industry-government partnership to make decisions.
5. Broad consultation with all stakeholders, especially end users.
6. A process for evaluating Standards through a Regulatory impact Statement (RIS).
7. Standards must be auditable for credibility abd international acceptance.
8. An outcome focus responsive to verified drivers and needs.
9. Science based inputs to be a critical element in the development of standards.
10. Efective communication to all stakeholders.

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Export standards

Any person involved in the export of livestock, from farm to vessel, must comply with the new ‘Australian Standards for Export of Livestock’. The Standards can be obtained by phoning the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry 02 6272 3933, or website www.daff.gov.au/livestockexportstandards

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More information 

For information on animal health and welfare matters, contact the relevant authority in your state or territory:

• Western Australia
  DLGRD, Animal Welfare Branch 08 92171500  or WA Department of Agriculture 08 9368 3627
  
• South Australia
  Department of Environment and Heritage 08 8124 4800
  
• Victoria
  Victorian Department of Primary Industries – Manager Animal Health Operations 03 5430 4509 or
  Bureau of Animal Welfare 03 9217 4200
  
• New South Wales
  NSW Department of Primary Industries 02 6391 3682
  
• Queensland
  Queensland Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries 13 25 23
  
• ACT
  Arts, Heritage and Environment 02 6207 2249
  
• Tasmania
  Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, Water and Environment 1300 368 550
  
• Northern Territory
  Department  of Local Government, Housing and Sport - Animal Welfare Branch 8999 8418

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