FEED STORAGE
Feeds can become contaminated accidentally with chemicals and disease-causing organisms if they are not stored properly. Safe storage of feeds includes protection from chemicals, rodents or other animals as well as maintenance of quality.

To keep feeds from becoming contaminated, products such as fertilizers, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and other chemicals should be stored in separate facilities. Poisonous products should be kept in a locked room or cabinet to protect animals and children from exposure.

Rodents can cause the spread of disease by contaminating feeds with droppings and urine. Cats, dogs, raccoons and other predators can carry diseases and parasites that can cause illnesses in sheep and, in some cases, even humans. Preventing access of such animals to stored feed is important in disease prevention.

Proper storage also helps to maintain the quality of feed. Protecting grains and forages from moisture prevents deterioration of feed and limits mold growth. Healthy sheep and premium quality sheep products depend on the use of good-quality, uncontaminated feeds.

Plans for storage and feeding facilities can be found in the Sheep Housing and Equipment Handbook available from the Midwest Plan Service, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011.

MONITORING FEEDSTUFFS
Be certain that suppliers understand that grain protectants can have withdrawal times. Also, consider Select Supplier programs for feed ingredients, medicated feed additives, etc. These programs will help you to obtain product from a reputable supplier and will also help you in acquiring the necessary information when receiving a feedstuff.

Good suppliers have a quality control testing program of their own. Bonded suppliers often test for: polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated hydrocarbons, organophosphates, pesticides and herbicides, heavy metals, and microbes (e.g., Salmonella). Ask suppliers for these tests - reputable suppliers will provide them.

It is neither efficient nor economically feasible to test every load of grain or forage for contaminants. However, it makes good sense to obtain and store a representative sample of each batch of newly purchased feed. Commonly, investigation of suspected feed-related problems is hampered because no representative sample is available for testing. If feed sampling and storage are conducted on a routine basis and a suspected feed-related problem occurs, a sample for appropriate laboratory testing will be available. One suggestion for purchased grains, supplements or complete feeds is to randomly sample each batch of feed in five to ten locations and pool the individual samples into a larger sample of two to five pounds. The pooled sample can be placed in a paper bag or small cardboard box, labeled and frozen. Dry samples can be labeled and kept in a dry area. Feed samples that have high moisture content should be frozen. A feed tag should be attached to the sample for future identification.

Forage samples should be collected and stored. If multiple bales of hay are purchased, representative samples should be obtained from several bales and mixed together before storage. Coring implements should be used if possible to obtain representative samples, particularly from large, round bales of hay. Most hay samples can be placed in a labeled paper bag and kept in a clean, dry area.

Feed handling facilities that reduce the risk of feed contamination with chemicals, foreign materials and disease-causing infectious agents. The most common source of infectious agent contamination is from animal or human feces. If possible, protect feedstuffs, feed troughs and water supplies from contamination by chemicals, foreign materials and feces. Protection against contamination with fecal material from wild animals and birds may be difficult - the best that can be accomplished is regular evaluation and cleaning. As you renovate or make new purchases, try to select equipment that will be harder for animals/birds to contaminate and/or be easier to keep clean. Visit with nutritional advisors, veterinarians and extension educators for practical ways to protect feed supplies.

HIGH RISK FEEDS
High-risk feeds are defined here as single loads or batches that will be fed to sheep over a prolonged period of time. Examples of high-risk feeds include fats, rendered by-products, plant by-products, supplements and additives. Typically, these feedstuffs are only a small percentage of the total diet and are very expensive to test. Make sure suppliers understand SSQA concerns and ask them to provide quality specifications with the product. It is best to do business with a bonded supplier. Find dependable suppliers and stay with them.

POTENTIAL FEED TOXINS
Since the environment may contain a number of potential poisons, it is important that producers have some knowledge about the relative toxicities to livestock of the chemicals used, so that extremely toxic chemicals such as soil insecticides can be handled and stored properly.

The best advice to producers for avoiding accidental livestock poisoning is to treat all chemicals as potential hazards and to store them away from feed storage and mixing areas. If feed-related poisoning is suspected, it is critical for the producer or veterinarian to contact a diagnostic laboratory for assistance in confirming the suspicion.

Mycotoxins are naturally occurring chemicals produced by molds. Mycotoxins can be found in grains, forages and milk, and, if present in sufficient concentrations, can cause reduced feed consumption, poor production and adverse health effects. The environmental conditions that are conducive to the growth of molds and the production of mycotoxins are quite variable. Mycotoxins can be produced in feedstuffs prior to harvesting or during storage. Mycotoxins include vomitoxin, zearalenone and fumonisins in grain, primarily corn, and salframine, in red clover. Ergot alkaloids can be found in both grain and grass hays.

Suggestions to prevent mycotoxin-related problems include storing feedstuffs in a manner appropriate for that feedstuff and avoiding moldy feed. Mycotoxins can be present in feeds without visible mold growth and conversely, visibly moldy feed may not always contain detectable mycotoxins.

RECORD-KEEPING AND INVENTORY CONTROL
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Record-keeping, either electronically (on a computer - if tamper proof) or via hand-written forms, is a critically important management tool. Inventory and usage records can point out inefficiencies, theft and negligence. With narrow profit margins, correct inventory management is essential.

To ensure consumer confidence and maintain market share, we must be able to document the use and safety of our product. We must be able to prove that we have tight control over risk factors that have a residue potential through effective documentation. As a result, consumer confidence will be strengthened and regulatory pressures will be reduced.

Animal health products are costly items. Accurate records can highlight inefficiencies on an animal-by-animal basis and prevent ineffective administration of treatments. Furthermore, this information informs the veterinarian of the treatments administered so he or she can validate treatment recommendations and adjust treatment regimen as animals and environmental conditions change.

Records are very important to business success. Regulatory inspections by FDA, USDA, EPA or OSHA will prove the necessity of good records. Effective documentation that shows appropriate compliance with training, inventory control, use orders, individual animal identification, withdrawal and disposal will help avoid liability from residue contamination.

The record-keeping systems presented in the Records and Forms Appendix (Appendix A) were developed from systems currently in place. They are examples that you can use or that may generate ideas to create or revise your current system. Computer record systems make extensive evaluation easy and efficient; however, they must be tamper proof. Hand-kept record systems are still very effective for proof of implementation and credibility. Each system has it own merits and you should select the system that is the most feasible for your sheep production unit.

Summary of Step 4 Criteria That Can Be Achieved By Use Of Objectives and Procedures