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Hormonal growth promotants

Hormonal growth promotants (HGPs) licensed in New Zealand for use in cattle contain natural hormones or the synthetic analogue trenbolone. They are used to improve feed efficiency.

The use of hormonal growth promotants is strictly controlled, through a regulated control scheme run by NZFSA.

Changes to the HGP regulated control scheme

The rules governing the use of hormonal growth promotants changed on 1 August 2009. Farmers who use HGPs will bear most of the cost of the scheme.

The Animal Products (Regulated Control Scheme - Hormonal Growth Promotants Notice) 2009 was issued on 14 May 2009 for implementation on 1 August 2009. This notice replaces and revokes the Animal Products (Hormonal Growth Promotants Specifications) Notice 2004 and the Animal Products (Approval of Identification Systems and Manufacturers) Notice 2000.

Animal Products (Regulated Control Scheme - Hormonal Growth Promotants) Notice 2009 [PDF 115 KB]

Rules for use of hormonal growth promotants on cattle

There are very particular specifications for farmers and veterinarians about how HGPs are implanted and how those animals are identified:

• The implant itself must only be implanted under the skin of the animal's ear.

• All implanted cattle must be identified prior to the HGP implantation with 2 tags: NZFSA’s approved orange HGP ear tag, and a primary tag used under the Animal Health Board (AHB) or the Livestock Improvement Corporation MINDA identification systems. These tags must be attached to the animal before HGP implantation, by the owner or person in charge of the cattle.

• Cattle which lose any of these tags must be retagged in accordance with the approved animal specification.

• NZFSA’s approved orange ear tag must not be used for any other purpose other than identifying HGP treated cattle.

Veterinarians – your role in HGP

If you are a veterinarian who implants HGPs, these are your responsibilities.

1. You need to record the identity of each animal you implant. There is no longer a specified form for this. If you wish, you may devise your own form. You could base it on the previous official NZVA form, or the details bulleted in the section below.

2. Next, enter the information you have collected into the HGP database.

3. If you are the supervising veterinarian, you must keep any paper records generated for at least 4 years from the date of HGP implantation of that animal.

Hormonal growth promotant database

For each animal you implant with HGPs, you are required to enter these details on the HGP database:

• name of farm, farm owner or person in charge at the time the HGP was implanted

• physical address and phone number of the business operated by the person in charge

• agribase farm identification of the farm the HGP-implanted animal came from

• herd identification number of the HGP-implanted animal

• date of HGP implantation of the animal

• individual animal identification number

• HGP product name

• veterinary practice details

• name of technician or veterinarian who did the implantation (‘competent person’)

• dated approval of HGP implantation by the supervising veterinarian.

To get a password for the HGP database, email hgp@nzfsa.govt.nz

Related links

• Specifications/notices - Regulated control schemes

• Exporters - Regulated control schemes

• Registration standards and guidelines - ACVM

• ACVM group operational policy - Importation of hormonal growth promotants

• Importation of hormonal growth promotants – policy

• Consumers - Hormonal growth promotants

Contact

hgp@nzfsa.govt.nz

Updated 13 October 2009