STARBROEK NEWS
07/02/2007
The Guyana National Bureau of Standards (GNBS) recently revised the national standard for poultry feed in order to address quality concerns associated with it and to harmonise the standards for its use within Caricom.
The GNBS, in a press release, said the standard "GYS 58: 2006, Specification for poultry feed and feed ingredients" was revised by the livestock sub-committee and the Technical Committee Agriculture "to ensure that poultry animals used either as poultry meat or for the production of eggs used for human food, are fed rations which are appropriate for the category of bird and help to ensure safety of food for human consumption through adherence to recommended poultry feeding practice at the farm level and good manufacturing practices during procurement, handling, storage, processing and distribution of poultry feed and feed ingredients."
The specification for nutrient requirements in the rations fed to poultry is established in this standard along with the general requirements for feed ingredients; nutrients and supplements; packaging and labelling requirements for feeds; methods of sampling and analysis and preparation of samples, the GNBS said. It also provides guidance on "good manufacturing practices" for the production of poultry feed and applies to the production and use of materials designed for poultry feed and feed ingredients at all levels whether produced industrially or on a farm.
The GNBS also said hygiene requirements and principles, special conditions applicable to emergency situations which may influence the production process, inspection and control procedures, health hazards associated with animal feed, feed additives and veterinary drugs used in medicated feed, safety conditions for storing feed and feed ingredients and control measures to minimise the risks associated with undesirable substances in feed and feed ingredients were included in the standard.
The standard also advised that feed should not be stored or transported near substances such as chemical fertilizers and pesticides. It also addressed procedures pertaining to sanitation and pest control measures, equipment performance and maintenance, manufacturing controls to avoid contamination and record keeping with regard to recalls. It also gives guidance on cultivation, manufacture, management and use of feed on the farm to help ensure the safety of food for human consumption and steps to keep contaminants such as fungi, bacteria and other microbial pathogens, broken needles and machinery and other harmful matter away from feed and feed ingredients.
The standard also advises farmers and other stakeholders on selecting suitable sites, choice fertilizers, pesticides and other agricultural chemicals, mixing techniques, record keeping and monitoring water and good animal feeding practices. The GNBS said the standard will be made mandatory and it is conducting feed tests to ensure that the feeds comply with nutrient requirements as has been set out.
The GNBS advises that the standard can be obtained at its Technical Standards Information Unit. It also said stakeholders can make contact with its offices at telephone numbers 225-6226, 227-7890 or at 225-9013.
