STANDARD 1 | Sourcing and preparation of livestock for export by sea
1.2.1 - Buffalo must have been weaned at least 14 days prior to sourcing for export.
1.2.2 - Buffalo must not be sourced for export unless they have become conditioned to being handled and to eating and drinking from troughs for a minimum of 21 days.
1.2.3 - Buffalo sourced for export must have an individual liveweight of 200kg to 500kg (inclusive). Animals outside of these weights must not be sourced for export or exported, unless otherwise provided:
- for buffalo less than 200kg, in a light buffalo management plan approved in writing by the department, and buffalo must have an individual liveweight of 200kg or more at the time of export; or
- for buffalo more than 500kg, in a heavy buffalo management plan approved in writing by the department.
1.2.4 - Buffalo must not be sourced for export or exported unless they have been assessed by a competent stock handler against the buffalo body condition scoring in Table 1a and have a body condition score of 2 to 4 (inclusive) (on a scale of 1 to 5).
Table 1a Buffalo body condition score
Score | Description | P8 fat mm thickness | Loin surface | Illustration of vertical section of the loin region between spinous and traverse processes |
1 | Emaciated; very weak – extreme muscle wastage. All bones highly visible. Skin 'draped' over skeleton. Unsteady gait. | 0 | Severely concave | ![Image](/images/new/image14.png) |
2 | Lean; short ribs visible, hook and pin bones still prominent. Can easily count all ribs. Some muscle depletion. No subcutaneous fat visible or palpable. | 0 | Moderately concave | ![Image](/images/new/image16.png) |
3 | Store; (average) good muscle definition, with fat starting to be deposited, rib outlines disappearing, hook and pin bones still defined. | 1 to 4 | Level, even slope | ![Image](/images/new/image18.png) |
4 | Prime; quite even and smooth over whole backline. Muscling becoming more convex due to fat deposition. | 5 to 35 | Moderately convex | ![Image](/images/new/image20.png) |
5 | Overfat; usually only mature cows can achieve this condition. Bulbous fat deposits both sides of tail head. Pin and hook bones not discernible. | >36 | Severely convex, crease/dip along spine | ![Image](/images/new/image22.png) |
Source: NT Buffalo Industry Council Inc.
1.2.5 - Female buffalo sourced for export as feeder or slaughter animals must:
- be accompanied by a spay declaration from the owner or manager of the premises where the procedure was performed including name, contact information and signature, that certifies that the animal has been spayed not less than 30 days prior to export using the Willis dropped ovary technique and includes the animal's individual NLIS identification number and date of the procedure; or
- be accompanied by a spay declaration from the owner or manager of the premises where the procedure was performed including name, contact information and signature, that certifies that the animal has been spayed not less than 280 days prior to export and includes the animal's individual NLIS identification number and date of the procedure; or
- be pregnancy tested within 30 days prior to export, by a registered veterinarian or competent pregnancy tester who must certify in writing that the animal is not detectably pregnant and include with the certification their name, registration or accreditation number (or other authorisation) and signature, and the animal's individual NLIS identification number and the date of the procedure; and
- undergo the above pregnancy testing by manual palpation or an approved blood test (as accreditation/authorisation permits). Registered veterinarians may use ultrasound if the animal is too small to be manually palpated.
1.2.6 - Female buffalo sourced for export as breeder animals must be no more than 220 days pregnant at the scheduled date of discharge in the importing country, and must be pregnancy tested within 30 days prior to export:
- by a registered veterinarian using an approved blood test; and
- if the test result is negative, be certified in writing as not detectably pregnant; or
- if the test result is positive, undergo testing as per b) or c) below; or
- if the voyage is less than 10 voyage days, by a registered veterinarian that attests to current experience and competency in buffalo pregnancy diagnosis, using manual palpation, or by a registered veterinarian that is accredited under the PREgCHECK (NCPD) Scheme if the animal is too small to be manually palpated safely, using ultrasound; and
- if the test result is negative, be certified in writing as not detectably pregnant; or
- if the test result is positive, be certified in writing as pregnant with number of days pregnant stated; or
- if the voyage is 10 voyage days or more, by a registered veterinarian that is accredited under the PREgCHECK (NCPD) Scheme, using manual palpation or if the animal is too small to be manually palpated safely, using ultrasound; and
- if the test result is negative, be certified in writing as not detectably pregnant; or
- if the test result is positive, be certified in writing as pregnant with number of days pregnant stated; and
- with the certification stating the animal's individual NLIS identification number and date of the procedure, the veterinarians name, registration number and signature, their attestation to experience and competency, or for voyages 10 days or more or animals tested by ultrasound, their PREgCHECK accreditation number and a statement of their accreditation.
1.2.7 - Buffalo with horns must only be sourced for export or exported if they have:
- blunt horns; and
- horns that are less than the spread of the ears, unless otherwise provided in a long-horned livestock management plan approved in writing by the department.