SMR 9: Prevention and control of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs)
You must minimise the risk posed to human and animal health by certain transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs).
What you must do
You must not:
Feed animal protein or any feeding stuff that contains animal protein to ruminants, for example:
- cattle, bison, buffalo
- sheep, goats
- deer, antelope, wildebeest
With the exception of the following (subject to required sourcing and processing - for example, it can’t be catering waste):
- milk, milk-based products and colostrums
- eggs and egg products
- collagen and gelatine from non-ruminants
- hydrolysed proteins derived from non-ruminants or from ruminant hides and skins
- liquid milk replacers for unweaned ruminants containing fishmeal, if registered by Defra.
You must not:
- Feed products containing banned proteins to any farmed animals, or mix banned proteins with feedstuffs. ‘Banned proteins’ are processed animal protein (with specific exemptions – see paragraph below) and gelatine from ruminants for example beef gelatine (including in surplus food).
- Use restricted proteins to produce feed for non-ruminants unless you’ve received authorisation from Defra. ‘Restricted proteins’ are animal proteins restricted to non- ruminant feed production: fishmeal, blood products of non-ruminant origin, dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate of animal origin. This includes processed animal proteins of non-ruminant origin, including pig and poultry meal, for aquaculture animals.
- Use feed products containing restricted proteins on a farm where there are ruminants present unless you’re registered with Defra.
For bovine animals born or reared in the United Kingdom before 1 August 1996, you must not:
- export them
- move them without an AHVLA licence
- place them on the market or export any products from these animals
- place on the market or export first generation offspring or the semen, ova or embryos of cattle, sheep or goats (of any age), without meeting the documentation requirements and restrictions which apply to the sale or export of these products.
If you know or suspect that one of your animals or carcases is infected with a TSE you must:
- tell the duty veterinary officer of your local Animal and Plant Health Agency office at once
- meet movement restrictions, or slaughter, destruction or other orders, or answer questions to identify animals at risk.
For more information about controlling TSEs read ‘2010 to 2015 government policy: animal and plant health - Appendix 3: Controlling animal diseases.
Rural Payments Agency: 03000 200 301
Animal and Plant Health Agency: 03000 200 301