Animal feed guidance

This advice is designed to provide basic guidance to traders. It is not a complete or authoritative statement of the law. Some of the advice we provide to businesses is chargeable.

Feed hygiene

Who is affected?

From the 1st January 2006 new legislation came into place. These apply to all businesses that make, use or market animal feeds including farms. Retailers that only sell pet food are excluded by this legislation.

The aim of the legislation is to complete the farm to fork approach of food law so that the whole of the food chain is covered by hygiene legislation.

How does it affect me?

The new Feed Hygiene Regulations require registration with the local Authority of all feed businesses, except pet shops and for the feeding of animals kept for the sole consumption by the owner.

If you are not registered yet but think you need to be or have any queries about feed hygiene matters email at [email protected].

How do I register?

Use the application form below:

Complete the online form

or download a copy Application with a view to Registration or Approval under the EC Feed Hygiene Regulations

See also the guide to registration categories.

The rules

For most farms/transporters etc the basic rules that apply are:

Annex I (Primary Production)
Annex III (Good Animal Feeding Practices)

If you use premixtures or ‘straight’ feed additives then more stringent rules apply:
Annex II (Requirements for Feed Businesses other than at the level of primary production of feed referred to in Article 5(1))

Example

If you are a livestock farmer (including fish farms) and you do not mix feeds or you mix feeds without additives you would need to be registered under R13 (farms). This could include making silage or haylage (without using additives).

If you are an arable farm growing or selling crops for feed you would need to be registered under R14 (farms). For example if you grow cereals, wheat, barley or food crops, e.g. potatoes, for use as feed.

Further guidance

Animal feed legislation and guidance (Food Standards Agency)

Retained Regulation 183/2005 - Annex 1

I. Hygiene provisions

Part A - Requirements for feed businesses at the level of primary production of feed

Feed business operators responsible for primary production of feed shall ensure that operations are managed and carried out in such a way as to prevent, eliminate or minimise hazards with the potential to compromise feed safety
Feed business operators shall ensure, as far as possible, that primary products produced, prepared, cleaned, packed, stored and transported under their responsibility are protected against contamination and spoilage
Feed business operators shall meet the obligations set out in points 1 and 2 by complying with appropriate Community and national legislative provisions relating to the control of hazards, including:
- (i) measures to control hazardous contamination such as that arising from the air, soil, water, fertilisers, plant protection products, biocides, veterinary medicinal products and handling and disposal of waste, and
- (ii) measures relating to plant health, animal health and the environment that have implications for feed safety, including programmes for the monitoring and control of zoonoses and zoonotic agents
Where appropriate, feed business operators shall take adequate measures, in particular:
- (a) to keep clean and, where necessary after cleaning, to disinfect in an appropriate manner, facilities, equipment, containers, crates and vehicles used for producing, preparing, grading, packing, storing and transporting feed
- (b) to ensure, where necessary, hygienic production, transport and storage conditions for, and the cleanliness of, feed
- (c) to use clean water whenever necessary to prevent hazardous contamination
- (d) to prevent, as far as possible, animals and pests from causing hazardous contamination
- (e) to store and handle wastes and hazardous substances, separately and securely, so as to prevent hazardous contamination
- (f) to ensure that packaging materials are not a source of hazardous contamination of feed
- (g) to take account of the results of any relevant analyses carried out on samples taken from primary products or other samples relevant to feed safety

II. Record-keeping

1. Feed business operators shall keep records relating to measures put in place to control hazards, in an appropriate manner and for an appropriate period, commensurate with the nature and size of the feed business. Feed business operators must make relevant information contained in these records available to the competent authority
2. Feed business operators must, in particular, keep records on:
- (a) any use of plant protection products and biocides
- (b) use of genetically modified seeds
- (c) any occurrence of pests or diseases that may affect the safety of primary products
- (d) the results of any analyses carried out on samples taken from primary products or other samples taken for diagnostic purposes that have importance for feed safety
- (e) the source and quantity of each input of feed and the destination and quantity for each output of feed
3. Other persons, such as veterinarians, agronomists and farm technicians, may assist the feed business operators with the keeping of records relevant to the activities they carry out on the farm

Retained Regulation 183/2005 – Annex II

Facilities and Equipment

Requirements for feed businesses other than at the level of primary production of feed referred to in Article 5(1)

Feed processing and storage facilities, equipment, containers, crates, vehicles and their immediate surroundings shall be kept clean, and effective pest control programmes shall be implemented
The lay-out, design, construction and size of the facilities and equipment shall:
- (a) permit adequate cleaning and/or disinfection
- (b) be such as to minimise the risk of error and to avoid contamination, cross-contamination and any adverse effects generally on the safety and quality of the products. Machinery coming into contact with feed shall be dried following any wet cleaning process
Facilities and equipment to be used for mixing and/or manufacturing operations shall undergo appropriate and regular checks, in accordance with written procedures pre-established by the manufacturer for the products
- (a) All scales and metering devices used in the manufacture of feeds shall be appropriate for the range of weights or volumes to be measured and shall be tested for accuracy regularly
- (b) All mixers used in the manufacture of feeds shall be appropriate for the range of weights or volumes being mixed, and shall be capable of manufacturing suitable homogeneous mixtures and homogeneous dilutions. Operators shall demonstrate the effectiveness of mixers with regard to homogeneity
Facilities must have adequate natural and/or artificial lighting
Drainage facilities must be adequate for the purpose intended; they must be designed and constructed to avoid the risk of contamination of feedingstuffs
Water used in feed manufacture shall be of suitable quality for animals; the conduits for water shall be of an inert nature
Sewage, waste and rainwater shall be disposed of in a manner which ensures that equipment and the safety and quality of feed is not affected. Spoilage and dust shall be controlled to prevent pest invasion
Windows and other openings must, where necessary, be proofed against pests. Doors must be close-fitting and proofed against pests when closed
Where necessary, ceilings and overhead fixtures must be designed, constructed and finished to prevent the accumulation of dirt and to reduce condensation, the growth of undesirable moulds and the shedding of particles that can affect the safety and quality of feed

Personnel

Feed businesses must have sufficient staff possessing the skills and qualifications necessary for the manufacture of the products concerned. An organisation chart setting out the qualifications (e.g. diplomas, professional experience) and responsibilities of the supervisory staff must be drawn up and made available to the competent authorities responsible for inspection. All the staff must be informed clearly in writing of their duties, responsibilities and powers, especially when any change is made, in such a way as to obtain the desired product quality.

Production

A qualified person responsible for production must be designated
Feed business operators must ensure that the different stages of production are carried out according to pre-established written procedures and instructions aimed at defining, checking and mastering the critical points in the manufacturing process
Technical or organisational measures must be taken to avoid or minimise, as necessary, any cross-contamination and errors. There must be sufficient and appropriate means of carrying out checks in the course of manufacture
The presence of prohibited feed undesirable substances and other contaminants in relation to human or animal health shall be monitored, and appropriate control strategies to minimise the risk shall be put in place
Waste and materials not suitable as feed should be isolated and identified. Any such materials containing hazardous levels of veterinary drugs, contaminants or other hazards shall be disposed of in an appropriate way and not used as feed
Feed business operators shall take adequate measures to ensure effective tracing of the products

Quality control

Where appropriate, a qualified person responsible for quality control must be designated
Feed businesses must, as part of a quality control system, have access to a laboratory with adequate staff and equipment
A quality control plan must be drawn up in writing and implemented, to include, in particular, checks on the critical points in the manufacturing process, sampling procedures and frequencies, methods of analysis and their frequency, compliance with the specifications – and the destination in the event of non-compliance – from processed materials to final products
Documentation relating to the raw materials used in final products must be kept by the manufacturer in order to ensure traceability. Such documentation must be available to the competent authorities for a period appropriate for the use to which the products are placed on the market. In addition, samples of ingredients and of each batch of products manufactured and placed on the market or of each specific portion of production (in the case of continuous production) must be taken in sufficient quantity using a procedure pre-established by the manufacturer and be retained, in order to ensure traceability (on a regular basis in the case of manufacture solely for the manufacturer's own needs). The samples must be sealed and labelled for easy identification; they must be stored under conditions which prevent any abnormal change in the composition of the sample or any adulteration. They must be kept at the disposal of the competent authorities for a period appropriate to the use for which the feed is placed on the market. In the case of feedingstuffs for animals not kept for food production, the manufacturer of the feedingstuff must only keep samples of the finished product

Storage and transport

Processed feeds shall be separated from unprocessed feed materials and additives, in order to avoid any cross contamination of the processed feed; proper packaging materials shall be used
Feeds shall be stored and transported in suitable containers. They shall be stored in places designed, adapted and maintained in order to ensure good storage conditions, to which only persons authorised by the feed business operators have access
Feeds shall be stored and transported in such a way as to be easily identifiable, in order to avoid any confusion or cross contamination and to prevent deterioration
Containers and equipment used for the transport, storage, conveying, handling and weighing of feed shall be kept clean. Cleaning programmes shall be introduced, and traces of detergents and disinfectants shall be minimised
Any spoilage shall be minimised and kept under control to reduce pest invasion
Where appropriate, temperatures shall be kept as low as possible to avoid condensation and spoilage

Record keeping

All feed business operators, including those who act solely as traders without ever holding the product in their facilities, shall keep in a register relevant data, comprising details of purchase, production and sales for effective tracing from receipt to delivery, including export to the final destination
Feed business operators, except those who act solely as dealers without ever holding the product in their facilities, shall keep in a register:
- (a) Documentation relating to the manufacturing process and controls
  Feed businesses must have a system of documentation designed to define and ensure mastery of the critical points in the manufacturing process and to establish and implement a quality control plan. They must keep the results of the relevant controls. This set of documents must be kept so that it is possible to trace the manufacturing history of each batch of products put into circulation and to establish responsibility, if complaints arise
- (b) Documentation relating to traceability, in particular:
  - (i) for feed additives
    - the nature and quantity of the additives produced, the respective dates of manufacture and, where appropriate, the number of the batch or of the specific portion of production, in the case of continuous manufacture
    - the name and address of the establishment to which the additives were delivered, the nature and quantity of the additives delivered and, where appropriate, the number of the batch or of the specific portion of production, in the case of continuous manufacture
  - (ii) for products covered by Directive 82/471/EEC:
    - the nature of the products and the quantity produced, the respective dates of manufacture and, where appropriate, the number of the batch or of the specific portion of production, in the case of continuous manufacture
    - the name and address of the establishments or users (establishments or farmers) to whom these products have been delivered, together with details of the nature and quantity of the products delivered and, where appropriate, the number of the batch or of the specific portion of production, in the case of continuous manufacture
  - (iii) for premixtures:
    - the name and address of the manufacturers or suppliers of additives, the nature and quantity of the additives used and, where appropriate, the number of the batch or of the specific portion of production, in the case of continuous manufacture
    - the date of manufacture of the premixture and the batch number where appropriate
    - the name and address of the establishment to which the premixture is delivered, the delivery date, the nature and quantity of the premixture delivered, and the batch number where appropriate
  - (iv) for compound feedingstuffs/feed materials:
    - the name and address of additive/premixture manufacturers or suppliers, the nature and quantity of the premixture used, with the batch number where appropriate
    - the name and address of the suppliers of the feed materials and complementary feeds and the delivery date
    - the type, quantity and formulation of the compound feed
    - the nature and quantity of feed materials or compound feedingstuffs manufactured, together with the date of manufacture, and the name and address of the buyer (e.g. farmer, other feed business operators).

Complaints and product recall

Feed business operators shall implement a system for registering and processing complaints
They shall put in place, where this proves necessary, a system for the prompt recall of products in the distribution network

They shall define by means of written procedures the destination of any recalled products, and before such products are put back into circulation they must undergo a quality-control reassessment.

Retained Regulation 183/2005 – Annex III

Pasture Grazing

The grazing of pastures and croplands shall be managed in a way that minimises the contamination of foods of animal origin by physical, biological or chemical hazards.

Where appropriate, an adequate rest period shall be observed before allowing livestock to graze on pasture, crops and crop residues and between grazing rotations to minimise biological cross contamination from manure, where such a potential problem exists, and to ensure that the withholding periods for agricultural chemical applications are observed.

Requirements for stable and feeding equipment

The animal production unit shall be designed so that it can be adequately cleaned. The animal production unit and feeding equipment shall be cleaned thoroughly and regularly to prevent any build-up of hazards. Chemicals used for cleaning and sanitising shall be used according to instructions and stored away from feed and feeding areas.

A pest control system shall be put in place to control the access of pests to the animal production unit with a view to minimizing the possibility of contamination of feed and bedding materials or animal units.

Buildings and feeding equipment shall be kept clean. Systems shall be put in place to regularly remove manure, waste material and other possible sources of contamination of feed.

Feed and bedding material used in the animal production unit shall be frequently changed and not allowed to become mouldy.

Feeding

1. Storage

Feed shall be stored separately from chemicals and other products prohibited for animal feed. Storage areas and containers shall be kept clean and dry and appropriate pest-control measures implemented where necessary. Storage areas and containers shall be cleaned regularly to avoid unnecessary cross-contamination.

Seed shall be stored properly and in such a way that it is not accessible to animals.

Medicated feed and non-medicated feed intended for different categories or species of animals shall be stored such as to reduce the risk of feeding to non-target animals.

2. Distribution

The on-farm feed distribution system shall ensure that the right feed is sent to the right destination. During distribution and feeding, feed shall be handled in such a way as to ensure that contamination does not occur from contaminated storage areas and equipment. Non-medicated feeds shall be handled separately from medicated feeds to prevent contamination.

On-farm feed transport vehicles and feeding equipment shall be cleaned periodically, in particular when used to deliver and distribute medicated feed.

3. Feed and water

Water for drinking or for aquaculture shall be of appropriate quality for the animals being produced. Where there is cause for concern about contamination of animals or animal products from the water, measures shall be taken to evaluate and minimise the hazards.

Feeding and watering equipment must be designed, constructed and placed in such a way that contamination of feed and water is minimised. Watering systems shall be cleaned and maintained regularly, where possible.

4. Personnel

The person responsible for the feeding and handling of animals shall possess the requisite ability, knowledge and competence.

Retained Regulation 183/2005 – Approval and Registration Activities

A. Approval activities

Code	Activity	Notes	Examples of feed business establishments likely to carry out the activity
A1	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of nutritional additives.	This includes vitamins, pro-vitamins and chemically defined substances having a similar effect; compounds of trace elements; amino acids, their salts and analogues; and urea and its derivatives, as authorised under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing nutritional additives. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A2	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of zootechnical additives: Digestibility enhancers, gut flora stabilisers and substances which favourably affect the environment.	This includes enzymes and micro-organisms.	Feed additive manufacturers producing zootechnical additives, as indicated in the activity description column. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A3	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of antioxidant additives with a maximum content in feeds specified in EC Regulation 1831/2003.	At the time of writing, this may include propyl gallate, octyl gallate, dodecyl gallate, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), ethoxyquin, as authorised under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing antioxidant additives with maximum permitted levels. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A4	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of colorant additives: carotenoids and xanthophylls.	These products are subject to maximum inclusion rates set under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing carotenoids or xanthophylls (such as canthaxanthin). Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such additives.
A5	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of proteins obtained from micro-organisms belonging to groups of bacteria, yeast, algae and lower fungi.	These substances were previously covered by Directive 82/471/EEC on Certain Products (Bioproteins) which has been revoked. They are now classified as feed materials, but establishments manufacturing or selling such products continue to require approval.
A6	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of co-products of the manufacture of amino acids by fermentation.	These substances were previously covered by Directive 82/471/EEC on Certain Products (Bioproteins) which has been revoked. They are now classified as feed materials, but establishments manufacturing or selling such products continue to require approval.
A7	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of pre-mixtures containing vitamins A and D.	These substances are subject to maximum inclusion rates set under Regulation 1831/2003.	Manufacturers producing premixtures containing vitamins A or D. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) premixtures containing vitamins A or D.
A8	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of premixtures containing copper and selenium.	These products are subject to maximum inclusion rates set under Regulation 1831/2003.	Feed additive manufacturers producing copper or selenium additives. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) premixtures containing copper or selenium additives.

Activity codes A9 and A10 are used by Defra’s Veterinary Medicines Directorate, and are therefore omitted from this table.

Code	Activity	Notes	Examples of feed business establishments likely to carry out the activity
A11	Manufacturing and placing on the market, for feed use, products derived from vegetable oils and blended fats.	Feed business establishments carrying out any of the activities referred to in point 10 of the Section headed “Facilities and Equipment” in Annex II to Regulation 183/2005 (as amended by Commission Regulation 225/2012).	Businesses carrying out any of the following: processing of crude vegetable oil except those under the scope of EC Regulation 852/2004 (food hygiene), oleochemical manufacture of fatty acids, manufacture of oils/fats from biodiesel and fat blending.

R. Registration activities

Code	Activity	Notes	Examples of feed business establishments likely to carry out the activity
R1	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of feed additives (other than those subject to approval).	This includes preservatives, emulsifiers, stabilisers, thickeners, gelling agents, binders, anticaking agents, acidity regulators, antioxidants (not subject to a maximum permitted level), silage agents, denaturants, substances to control radionucleide contamination, colourants (except carotenoids and xanthophylls).	Feed additive manufacturers producing technological or sensory additives. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) technological or sensory feed additives.
R2	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of premixtures (other than those subject to approval).	This includes premixtures containing any feed additive excluding vitamins A and D and copper and selenium.	Feed businesses producing or selling premixtures, other than those containing vitamins A and D, copper and selenium. Businesses selling (but not manufacturing) such premixtures.
R3	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of bioproteins not subject to approval.	This includes ammonium salts and certain killed yeasts cultivated on substrates of animal/ vegetable origin.	Businesses which both manufacture and sell such products; and businesses which do not manufacture but buy and sell such products.
R4	Manufacture of compound feedingstuffs (other than those subject to approval).	This includes the manufacture of complete and complementary feeds, with or without additives.	Businesses manufacturing complete and complementary feeds with or without additives.
R5	Placing on the market of compound feeds.		Establishments engaged in the buying and selling of compound feeds but not manufacturing such feeds. This includes businesses which do not physically hold any feeds (e.g. importers).
R6	Manufacture of pet foods.	Includes the manufacture of complete and complementary feeds with or without additives.	Pet food manufacturing businesses which manufacture complete and complementary feeds with or without additives.
R7	Manufacture and/or placing on the market of feed materials.	Feed materials are products which can be fed singly to animals or used as ingredients of compound feeds.	Businesses which produce or manufacture single ingredient materials (e.g. cereal or cereal based products, oils and fats) for animal feed use. Food manufacturers and branches of supermarkets involved in the transfer of surplus foodstuffs (e.g. out-of-date bakery products) into the feed chain. NB: this category does not include brewers, distillers and food manufacturers selling co-products into the feed chain - see activity code R12.
R8	Transport of feed and feed products.	Transport of feed and feed products by manufacturers own vehicles are covered by the approval/registration of the manufacturer’s premises.	Premises of businesses that transport feed materials, compound feed, feed additives and premixtures.
R9	Storage of feed and feed products.	Only covers premises not covered by another approval/registration activity relating to the manufacture or placing on the market of the products in question. It excludes storage facilities at a manufacturer’s or transporter’s premises.	Feed storage premises.
R10 (farms)	Mixing feed on-farm, with additives and premixtures.	This activity was subject to registration under previous legislation (EC Directive 95/69 as implemented by the Feeding Stuffs (Establishment and Intermediaries) Regulations 1999).	Farmers who buy in additives and premixture products (i.e. not contained in a compound feed) and mix them with feeds (forage, silage, haylage, cereals etc.). Additives and premixtures may include vitamins, trace elements (e.g. copper, zinc) and preservatives (e.g. proprionic acid).
R11 (farms)	Mixing feed on-farm, with compound feedingstuffs which contain additives.	This activity was subject to registration under previous legislation (EC Directive 95/69 as implemented by the Feeding stuffs (Establishment and Intermediaries) Regulations 1999).	Farmers who mix their own feeds on-farm using bought-in compound feeds that contain additives such as vitamins, trace elements, etc.
R12	Food businesses selling co-products of the food industry which are destined as feed materials.	This includes the selling of feed materials generated as co-products of the manufacture of food products (e.g. wheat bran, brewers grains, residues of soya bean and rapeseed from the extraction of oils, carrot tops and potato skins).	Brewers, distillers, biofuel manufacturers, dairies and food manufacturers. NB: this category does not include food manufacturers and supermarkets which sell surplus foodstuffs (e.g. out-of-date bakery products) into the feed chain -- see activity code R7.
R13 (farms)	Livestock farms (including fish farms) which do not mix feeds or mix feeds without additives.		Livestock farmers. This may include farms making silage or haylage (without using additives). Fish farms may also be included under this activity.
R14 (farms)	Arable farms growing or selling crops for feed.		Arable farmers such as those growing cereals, wheat, barley or food crops, e.g. potatoes, for use as feed.

Retail sale of animal feed

This advice covers

The labelling of any type of compound or manufactured animal feed which is on sale either:

loose from bins or other retail displays in sale quantities of less than 50kg
packaged by the retailer in small amounts by breaking bulk
bought in already packaged

The advice does not cover the manufacture of animal foods.

What labelling is required?

The animal feed must be accompanied by a 'statutory statement' which contains information such as:

the name and address of the person who guarantees the statement is accurate (normally the manufacturer)
the name and description of the feed, clearly indicating it is a mixture of ingredients, together with a list of those ingredients
the type of animal it is intended for
the amount of protein, oil, fibre and ash which is present
direction for use
the presence of any antioxidants, colours or preservatives
the presence of certain minerals
the amount of certain vitamins and the date up to which they remain present
minimum storage life
the labelling required is different for different animals

The above list is a summary of the requirements - for full information consult your local Trading Standards Office.

Where do I find the statutory statement?

Your supplier will give it either on the package or in an accompanying letter.

How do I pass the statutory statement on to my customers?

When selling prepacks, these should already have been labelled by the manufacturer and so you need do nothing.