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What you need to know

In New Zealand, the use of HGPs implanted into bovine animals is strictly controlled through the Animal Products Notice: Hormonal Growth Promotants. You need to be familiar with your full legal obligations under the notice.

Animal Products Notice: Hormonal Growth Promotants [PDF, 210 KB]

Only a veterinarian or a competent person supervised by a veterinarian may treat cattle with an HGP.  Only beef cattle may be treated.  It is illegal to treat dairy cattle, bobby calves, or other animals.

Farmer responsibilities for animals treated with an HGP

An HGP identification ear tag.

When you have animals treated with an HGP, you must ensure that:

  • the animals have a NAIT-approved RFID tag that is registered in the NAIT (National Animal Identification and Tracing) online system before they are treated
  • the animals have an HGP identification ear tag (see picture) applied at the time of treatment
  • lost NAIT tags are replaced and that the new tag number is recorded with MPI
  • lost HGP identification ear tags are replaced.

Removal of HGP ear tags is strictly prohibited. Tags must remain with the animal for life.

When selling or moving cattle (including supplying for slaughter)

You must ensure that:

  • the movement is recorded in the NAIT system
  • the animal status declaration (ASD) clause covering HGPs is filled in accurately.  If you do not know whether the cattle have been treated with HGPs you must tick the 'Yes' box, and put 'Unknown' in the number box
  • the animals are identified with NAIT approved RFID tag that is registered in the NAIT online system and an HGP identification ear tag (lost tags must be replaced). 

When buying cattle

If animals are HGP-treated, this must be declared when sold or supplied for slaughter. Subsequent purchasers must be informed of HGP status.

You must ensure that:

  • you have received an ASD for stock purchased
  • check the ASD to see whether the stock has been treated with an HGP
  • previous ASD details are checked when stock is included in the purchase of property as a going concern – if these ASDs  indicate that the animals purchased have been treated with an HGP you must declare it as HGP-treated when sold or supplied for slaughter
  • the animals are identified with NAIT-approved RFID tag that is registered in the NAIT online system and an HGP identification ear tag (lost tags must be replaced). 

Find out more

General requirements for HGPs

The NAIT online system

 

 

MPI business units