Queensland Consolidated Regulations Queensland Consolidated RegulationsIn this schedule—
"intensive production system" , for sheep—
(a) means a system in which sheep are kept in a yard or other enclosure and are completely dependent on a supply of food and water provided by hand or a mechanical method; but
(b) does not include the keeping of sheep on a short term basis—(i) for the purpose of weaning, dipping or another husbandry procedure; or(ii) for the purposes of feeding during a drought or other emergency; or(iii) at a saleyard or abattoir.
(1) This schedule applies to—(a) the care and handling of sheep; and(b) the use of electric devices on sheep.
(2) However, this schedule does not apply to transporting sheep.Note—See schedule 3 for the code of practice applying to transporting sheep.
(1) A person in charge of sheep must take reasonable steps to minimise the risk of harm to the sheep from extreme weather conditions.
(2) In this section—
"extreme weather conditions" means temperature or climatic conditions that individually, or in combination, are likely to predispose sheep to heat or cold stress.
A person in charge of sheep must take reasonable steps to minimise the risk of harm to the sheep from fire or flood.
(1) To the extent it is reasonable in the circumstances, a person in charge of sheep must ensure the sheep are inspected to assess the welfare of the sheep.
(2) The inspections must be carried out at regular intervals having regard to the following matters—(a) the stocking density of the sheep;(b) the availability of suitable food;(c) the reliability of water supply;(d) the age of the sheep;(e) whether any of the sheep are pregnant;(f) the climatic conditions to which the sheep are exposed;(g) any known health risks to the sheep.Example for paragraph (g)—flystrike
A person in charge of sheep that are sick, diseased or injured must, at the first reasonable opportunity, provide appropriate treatment for the sheep or humanely kill the sheep.
(1) A person in charge of sheep must not use livestock facilities or equipment to contain or handle the sheep if the facilities or equipment are likely to cause harm to the sheep.
(2) In this section—
"livestock facilities or equipment" includes the following—(a) fences;(b) yards;(c) sheds;(d) food or water troughs;(e) ramps;(f) dips;(g) lamb-marking cradles;(h) facilities or equipment used to assemble, hold, load or unload sheep for transportation.
(1) A person handling sheep must handle the sheep in a way that minimises the risk of harm to the sheep.
(2) Without limiting subsection (1) , a person handling sheep must not do any of the following actions—(a) strike, punch or kick the sheep;(b) drag the sheep by 1 leg, unless it is necessary in the circumstances to allow safe handling, lifting, treatment or humane killing of the sheep;(c) drag the sheep by the ears or tail;(d) throw or drop the sheep, unless dropping the sheep from a height of less than 1.5m to land and stand on their feet;(e) lift or carry the sheep by the head, ears, horns, neck, tail or wool, unless necessary to do so because of an emergency;(f) drag the sheep by mechanical means unless—(i) dragging the sheep is necessary because of an emergency; and(ii) the sheep is dragged the minimum necessary distance to allow safe handling, lifting, treatment or humane killing of the sheep.
A person in charge of sheep must ensure the sheep are sheared at least once every 2 years unless the sheep’s wool is self-shedding.
A person may apply an electrical prod to a sheep only if—
(a) the sheep is at least 3 months of age; and
(b) the prod is not applied to the face, udders, anus or genitals of the sheep; and
(c) the sheep is able to move away from the prod; and
(d) the prod is applied as sparingly as possible and with restraint.
A person may use a dog to assist in the control or movement of sheep only if—
(a) the dog is under effective control at all times; and
(b) for a dog that habitually bites livestock—the dog is wearing a muzzle.
A person must not trim or grind the teeth of sheep.
(1) A person must not perform pizzle dropping on sheep.
(2) In this section—
"pizzle dropping" means the surgical procedure performed on sheep in which the skin between the prepuce and the abdomen is severed to allow the prepuce to hang below the wool on the abdomen.
(1) A person in charge of sheep may tether the sheep only if—(a) the sheep are given a reasonable opportunity to exercise at least once each day; and(b) the sheep have sufficient space to stand up, lie down and move around for grazing.
(2) The exercise mentioned in subsection (1) (a) must include being released from the tether or walked on a lead.
(3) A person in charge of sheep must not tether the sheep at night unless the sheep are being exhibited at an agricultural show, field day or similar event.
(4) In this section—
"tethering" , of sheep, means securing the sheep to an anchor point to confine it to a particular area.
(1) A person may perform castration or tailing on sheep that are less than 6 months of age only if the castration or tailing is done in a way that avoids unnecessary pain or suffering for the sheep.
(2) A person may perform castration or tailing on sheep that are 6 months of age or older only if—(a) the castration or tailing is done in a way that avoids unnecessary pain or suffering for the sheep; and(b) the sheep is provided with appropriate treatment to control haemorrhaging following the castration or tailing; and(c) suitable pain relief is administered to the sheep.
(3) A person must not perform tailing of sheep unless a tail stump with at least 1 palpable free joint is left on the sheep.
(4) A person may use the cryptorchid method on a ram that is 6 months of age or older only if—(a) the ram is provided with appropriate treatment to control haemorrhaging following the use of the cryptorchid method; and(b) suitable pain relief is administered to the ram.
(5) In this section—
"cryptorchid method" means the sterilization of a ram by a method in which the scrotum is shortened by the application of a rubber ring.
(1) A person may perform mulesing on sheep only if the sheep are more than 24 hours old but not more than 12 months of age.
(2) A person performing mulesing on sheep must ensure—(a) the mulesing is done in a way that avoids unnecessary pain or suffering for the sheep; and(b) if the sheep is more than 6 months of age—suitable pain relief is administered to the sheep.
(3) A person performing mulesing on sheep must not remove any skin from the sheep that is not wool-bearing.
(4) A person must not perform mulesing on a sheep showing signs of disease, weakness, illness or injury.
A person performing artificial breeding procedures on sheep must ensure the procedure minimises the risk of harm to the sheep.
A person must not perform the surgical transfer of an embryo or laparoscopic insemination on sheep unless—
(a) the person is a veterinary surgeon; or
(b) the person is under the direct supervision of a veterinary surgeon in the circumstances mentioned in the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1936 , section 25N (2) .
A person in charge of sheep kept in an intensive production system must ensure that food and water is provided to the sheep on a daily basis.
Without limiting section 5 , a person in charge of sheep kept in an intensive production system must ensure the sheep are inspected at least once a day to assess the welfare of the sheep.
A person in charge of sheep kept in an intensive production system must take reasonable steps to provide for the needs of the sheep that have not adapted to an intensive production system.
Example of a reasonable step—changing a sheep’s diet
A person in charge of sheep kept in an intensive production system must not allow faeces and urine to accumulate to the extent the accumulation presents a risk to the welfare of the sheep.
A person in charge of sheep kept in an intensive production system in indoor housing must ensure there is adequate ventilation so that a lack of ventilation does not present a risk to the welfare of the sheep.
A person in charge of sheep kept in an intensive production system must ensure each of the sheep has sufficient space to lie down on its sternum.
A person in charge of sheep kept in an intensive production system must ensure that individual sheep are not kept isolated in a single pen on a permanent basis.
(1) A person in charge of a sheep suffering from severe distress, disease or injury that can not reasonably be treated must ensure the sheep is killed at the first reasonable opportunity.
(2) A person who kills a sheep must ensure the sheep is killed in a way that—(a) causes rapid unconsciousness and death immediately after unconsciousness happens; and(b) does not include a blow to the head; and(c) is otherwise humane.
(3) However, if there is no firearm, captive bolt or lethal injection reasonably available, a person may kill a sheep by—(a) bleeding out the sheep; or(b) a single blow to the head of the sheep if—(i) the sheep is less than 10kg; and(ii) the blow causes immediate loss of consciousness and death without regaining consciousness.
(4) A person who kills a sheep must have the relevant knowledge, experience and skill to kill the sheep humanely, or be under the direct supervision of a person who has that knowledge, experience and skill, unless—(a) the sheep needs to be killed to prevent undue suffering to the sheep; and(b) for a person requiring supervision—there would be an unreasonable delay until the supervision could be provided.
(5) A person is under
"direct supervision" of another person (the
"supervisor" ) for a procedure if the supervisor—(a) instructs the person about the procedure; and(b) is on the premises where the procedure is carried out, while the procedure is carried out; and(c) is available to give additional instruction to the person about carrying out the procedure while the procedure is carried out; and(d) evaluates the carrying out of the procedure by the person, including regularly personally checking on the person.
(6) A person who kills a sheep must take reasonable steps to confirm the death of the sheep immediately after believing the sheep has been killed.
(7) In this section—
"bleeding out" , of a sheep, means the loss of blood caused by cutting the major blood vessel of the sheep, usually in the neck or at the base of the heart via the thoracic inlet.