Product Overview

Summary: This Animal Feeding and Nutrition Safe Operating Procedure sets out clear, practical steps for feeding livestock and companion animals safely, humanely and consistently. It supports WHS compliance while protecting animal welfare, minimising contamination risks and ensuring feed is handled, stored and delivered in line with Australian industry expectations.

Feeding practices sit at the heart of animal health, productivity and welfare, but they also present significant WHS and biosecurity risks if not managed systematically. This Animal Feeding and Nutrition Safe Operating Procedure provides a structured, step‑by‑step approach to planning, preparing, handling and delivering feed for a range of animal production and care settings, including farms, feedlots, dairies, research facilities and animal care organisations. It outlines how to select and store feed correctly, manage allergens and contaminants, operate feeding equipment safely, and monitor both animals and workers for signs of stress, injury or exposure.

The SOP is designed for Australian workplaces that must meet WHS obligations while also complying with animal welfare and food safety expectations. It helps businesses control hazards such as dust, manual handling injuries, machinery entanglement, slips and trips around feeding areas, and exposure to chemicals used in feed preservation. By implementing this procedure, organisations can standardise feeding routines across shifts and sites, support consistent ration delivery, protect staff and contractors, and provide clear evidence of due diligence during audits, inspections and incident investigations.

Key Benefits

• Ensure consistent, nutritionally appropriate feeding practices that support animal health, welfare and productivity.
• Reduce WHS risks associated with feed handling, storage, machinery use and animal interaction during feeding activities.
• Streamline training and onboarding for new staff, contractors and casual workers involved in animal feeding tasks.
• Demonstrate compliance with Australian WHS, animal welfare and food safety expectations during audits and inspections.
• Minimise feed waste, spoilage and contamination through clear controls on storage, hygiene and stock rotation.

Who is this for?

• Farm Managers
• Livestock Supervisors
• Feedlot Managers
• Animal Technicians
• Dairy Farm Operators
• Piggery and Poultry Farm Operators
• Veterinary Practice Managers
• Research Facility Managers
• WHS Managers in Agricultural Enterprises
• Animal Attendants and Stock Hands

Hazards Addressed

• Manual handling injuries from lifting, carrying or moving feed bags, bales and bulk containers
• Dust inhalation and respiratory irritation from grain, hay and pelleted feeds
• Slips, trips and falls around feeding areas, troughs, silos and feed storage facilities
• Entanglement, crush and amputation risks from augers, mixers, conveyors and other feeding equipment
• Allergic reactions or sensitisation from feed additives, medications and dusts
• Chemical exposure from preservatives, cleaning agents and pesticides used around feed storage areas
• Biosecurity risks from contaminated feed, vermin, wild animals and poor storage practices
• Animal handling injuries such as kicks, bites, crushing or butting during feeding activities
• Fire and explosion risks associated with grain dust and poorly maintained electrical equipment in feed areas
• Ergonomic strain from repetitive tasks such as scooping, shovelling or pushing feed trolleys

Included Sections

• 1.0 Purpose and Scope
• 2.0 Definitions and Terminology
• 3.0 Roles and Responsibilities
• 4.0 Applicable Legislation, Standards and Codes of Practice
• 5.0 Risk Management and Hazard Identification for Feeding Activities
• 6.0 Feed Selection, Formulation and Nutritional Requirements
• 7.0 Feed Procurement, Quality Assurance and Traceability
• 8.0 Feed Storage, Labelling and Stock Rotation (FIFO)
• 9.0 Safe Use of Feeding Equipment (Mixers, Augers, Silos, Dispensers)
• 10.0 Manual Handling and Ergonomic Controls for Feed Handling
• 11.0 Hygiene, Contamination Control and Vermin Management
• 12.0 Animal Behaviour, Handling and Welfare Considerations During Feeding
• 13.0 Allergen, Dust and Chemical Exposure Controls
• 14.0 Step-by-Step Feeding Procedures (By Species/Class of Animal)
• 15.0 Monitoring, Recordkeeping and Feed Intake Documentation
• 16.0 Incident Reporting, Non-conformances and Corrective Actions
• 17.0 Emergency Procedures (Injury, Contamination, Equipment Failure)
• 18.0 Training, Competency and Supervision Requirements
• 19.0 Review, Audit and Continuous Improvement

Legislation & References

• Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Cth) and corresponding state and territory WHS legislation
• Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011 and state/territory equivalents
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing risks of plant in the workplace
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Hazardous manual tasks
• Safe Work Australia – Model Code of Practice: Managing the work environment and facilities
• Australian Animal Welfare Standards and Guidelines for Cattle, Sheep and other relevant species (state and territory implemented versions)
• AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018 Risk management – Guidelines
• AS 2508: Safe storage and handling of agricultural and veterinary chemicals (and relevant state guidance)
• National Feed Standards and relevant state-based primary production and processing requirements