Preparing for consignment: MSA FAQs for advisors

Preparing your MSA-accredited clients with tips and tools to correctly consign their livestock helps ensure their animals are eligible for the program – and the resulting MSA premiums.

To help navigate the consignment process, MSA has created a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) and answers for livestock advisors and agents.

The following FAQs will help you and your clients prepare for consignment to ensure a smooth process on the day of sale.

Q: How long before their first consignment should my clients register with MSA?

A: Cattle producers should be registered with MSA at least 30 days prior to consigning cattle to the program. This is based on the MSA program’s requirement that cattle must reside on the property of dispatch for a minimum of 30 days prior to consignment.

Sheep producers should be registered with MSA at least 14 days prior to consigning sheep to the program. This is based on the MSA program’s requirement that sheep must reside on the property of dispatch for a minimum of 14 days prior to dispatch.

Q: Can I complete an MSA Vendor Declaration or registration on behalf of my client?

A: No, an MSA Vendor Declaration must be completed by the vendor of the cattle.

Q: Tips for selling livestock through an accredited MSA saleyard program:

Beef:

• To maintain MSA eligibility, cattle must be sold through an MSA accredited saleyard and have all accompanying paperwork correctly filled out.
• Both the MSA Vendor Declaration and the Livestock Production Assurance National Vendor Declaration (LPA NVD) must be completed by the vendor and accompany the consignment to the saleyards and through to the processor. MSA cattle will not be accepted for MSA grading without a complete, accurate MSA Vendor Declaration form.
• Cattle need to have access to water at all times outside of transit.
• When the cattle arrive at the saleyard, they can’t be mixed with other pens of cattle and need to remain as a group, otherwise they will lose MSA eligibility.
• A mob can be split to fit into saleyard pens; however, they can’t be drafted off into different groups. The aim is to minimise mixing and the reformation of their hierarchy within a mob, to ultimately reduce stress.
• Cattle sold through an MSA accredited saleyard must be processed within 36 hours of dispatch from a farm, so it is vital to ensure it is clearly stated on their NVD the time of dispatch.
• Dispatch and slaughter by times must be made available to buyers on a pen card and/or within a sale catalogue, so MSA eligibility can be maintained.

Sheep:

• An LPA NVD must accompany the consignment. The MSA producer registration number is included in Part A, Question 7, on the LPA NVD.
• Ensure transporters complete Section B of the NVD with details of when transport commenced.
• To be eligible for MSA, sheep must be processed no later than 48 hours off feed.

Q: A checklist for your clients who are consigning MSA livestock:

Beef

MSA requires that:

• All cattle must reside on the property of dispatch for a minimum of 30 days prior to dispatch.
• The vendor has correctly filled in both the LPA NVD and the MSA Vendor Declaration to accompany the consignment. Processing plants use the information from the MSA Vendor Declaration as part of the MSA grading process.
• Cattle directly consigned to a processor must be processed within 48 hours from dispatch from a farm to slaughter, with a maximum of 36 hours in road transport, which can also include a rest period of up to 12 hours.
• Cattle sold through an MSA accredited saleyard must be processed within 36 hours of dispatch from a farm.

MSA recommends that:

• Cattle should be continually grazed or fed rations to a level that is adequate for growth for a minimum of 30 days prior to dispatch.
• Manage cattle as a single mob for a minimum of 14 days prior to dispatch for slaughter; this includes no mixing or drafting.
• Load cattle quietly, preferably with no use of goads and electric prodders.
• Load cattle at the recommended densities set out in the trucking industry code of practice.
• Cattle must have access to water outside of transport.

Sheep

MSA requires that:

• All sheep must reside on the property of dispatch for a minimum of two weeks prior to dispatch.
• The vendor has completed the LPA NVD to accompany the consignment. The unique four-digit MSA registration number must be listed on the LPA NVD, Part A, Question 7.
• Allow a minimum of two weeks off shears before slaughter.
• Lambs and sheep should be finished to a minimum fat score of 2.
• Sheep must be processed within 48 hours of being off feed for MSA eligibility.
• Maximum time in transit does not exceed 24 hours.
• Sheep have access to water at all times while not in transit.

MSA recommends that:

• Mobs are not mixed within two weeks prior to dispatch.
• Sheep have access to good nutrition to ensure growth rates of at least 100 grams/head/day for crossbreds and terminals, and, 150 grams/head/day for Merinos in the two weeks prior to slaughter.

Q: Can MSA registration numbers apply to more than one property?

A: MSA registration numbers are unique to one Property Identification Code (PIC) and LPA User ID.

An MSA registration can apply to more than one property/parcel of land, as long as all of those properties are under the same PIC.

If producers have multiple PICs, then they should have a unique MSA registration number for each of those PICs.

Also, a number of MSA registration numbers can be applied to one PIC if there are multiple LPA User IDs. For example, if a family is running animals on the same PIC but individuals are running their own cattle enterprises and have different LPA user IDs, then they can have their own individual MSA numbers as well.