The QS guidelines from the meat, livestock farming and feed sectors were revised in the course of the 2020 revision in terms of both content and editing and adapted to practical use and legal requirements. The valid documents are now available in our Document Center and can be downloaded.
We have summarized the most important changes and innovations for you below.
- The regular audits take place unannounced for each livestock owner (i.e. contact not earlier than 48 hours before). There is no choice between announced and unannounced audits. In addition, 10% of the farms per year and coordinators in the period between two regular audits undergo an unannounced spot audit (i.e. contact not earlier than 24 hours before).
- In tethered housing, a self-drinker must be available at every place. In group housing, a maximum 1:15 drinker/animal place ratio is required for bowl drinkers; if trough drinkers are used, the troughs per animal must be at least 6 cm wide.
- The following minimum floor areas (m²)/animal (/kg.html live weight) must be provided for group housing (see Table).
- The shed floor in bays for fattening calves must be provided with elastic layer in feeding and lying areas. This applies for new buidlings as well as for renewal of shed floors in existing buildings (in each case after the cut off date 1st of January 2020).
- For point 3.2.4 Sty floor was clarified, that all facilities (in particular sty floors) must be such that the animals do not come more than unavoidable into contact with faeces and urine and are provided with a dry lying area.
- Criterion 3.1.3 (K.O.) Origin and marketing has been clarified and extended, that for raising broiler and turkey all QS-one-day old chicks must be sourced from QS-hatcheries. For the rearing of chickens, QS hatching eggs must be obtained from QS-hatcheries.
- 2.1 (K.O.) Monitoring and care of livestock: Enhancement: Chick hatching in the shed (broiler): For the purposes of animal welfare and quality control, it is necessary to evaluate chicks after hatching with regard to their overall health impression.
- Complete revision of chapters 2.2-2.9: Adaptation of content and language to ISO 9001:2015, as well as the elimination of duplications.
- Recognition of a seperate QM certification: As before, a separately certified QM system (e.g. ISO, IFS) can be recognized in the QS audit for certain criteria. Irrespective of whether the QM certificate contains the scope feed or not, however, from 1 January 2020 the criteria of Chapters 2.3 and 2.9 must always be checked and evaluated in the QS regular audit (see Table).
- The QS scope will be extended to all feed for food producing animals. In addition to cattle, pig and poultry feed, feed for other animal species (e.g. sheep, goats, rabbits) can also be advertised and traded as QS goods, provided that the company includes them in its QS certification and produces in conformity with QS.
- Labelling of primary agricultural products as QS goods: Irrespective of the certification status of the farmer, from 1 January 2020 feed traders will also be able to label unprocessed agricultural primary products (cereals, oilseeds, maize etc.) as goods from the QS scheme. Previously, this was only possible if the primary agricultural products came from a farmer who was QS-certified for arable farming.
- Combination vehicles: Special requirements for combination vehicles with flexible separation have been included in the guideline with the new chapter 5.8. Furthermore, companies that are certified for the road transport of feed and want to use combined vehicles must indicate this in the master data of the QS database.
- In requirement 2.2.1 (K.O.) Implementation and documentation of self-assessment, guidance and critical values for the assessment of raw cured goods at the trading level have been included.
- In criteria 2.4.2 Cleaning and disinfection, the evaluation scheme for checking the success of cleaning and disinfection has been adapted. The timing of the control and
listeria
as parameters are considered. - Requirement 4.1.4 (K.O.) Product labelling now includes, that the origin of the primary ingredient must be indicated from 01.04.2020 on, if this is required in accordance with REG (EC) 775/2018.
- Requirement 2.3.3 Cleaning and disinfection now includes, that markets producing minced meat must take samples from the processing area in accordance with REG (EC) No 2073/2005.
- The contents from inspection points 3.2.4, 3.4.5 and 3.5.6
(K.O.) Temperature detection and monitoring
were each divided into 2 criteria and renamed. Online trading is not listed further in the guideline, but is available as an additional module.
- Criterion 2.3.1 (K.O.) Implementation and documentation of the self-assessment system includes guidance and critical values for the assessment of raw cured products at the trading lebvel level.
- In criteria 2.4.2 Cleaning and disinfection, the evaluation scheme for checking the success of cleaning and disinfection has been adapted. The timing of the control and
listeria
as parameters are considered. - The requirements for standard operating procedures at slaughter have been included in point 2.6.3 Production and work instructions.
- In inspection point 3.2.9 Bay allocation, the requirements for space for pigs and cattle have been adapted to the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.
- Due to an extension in requirement 3.3.17 (K.O.) Diagnostic data, the technical prerequisites must be created with immediate effect in order to record all diagnostic findings in accordance with the guideline on diagnostic data in pig slaughtering.
- In requirement 3.11.6 (K.O.) Product Labelling it has been included that the origin of the primary ingredient must be indicated from 01.04.2020 if this is required according to Regulation (EC) 775/2018.
- In criteria 1.1 Scope has been added, that the companies of the stage slaughtering/debonding in the QS scheme can also produce minced meat and seasoned/marinated meat.
- In requirement 2.3.1 (K.O.) Implementation and documentation of self-assessment, process hygiene criteria for minced meat and meat preparations and food safety criteria have been included in accordance with REG (EC) No 2073/2005.
- In requirement 2.4.2 Cleaning and disinfection, the evaluation scheme for checking the cleaning and disinfection success has been adapted. The time of control and
listeria
are considered as parameters. - In criteria 3.3.9 Bay allocation, the requirements for space for pigs and cattle have been adapted to the requirements of Regulation (EC) No 1/2005.
- By means of criterion 3.4.16 (K.O.) Diagnostic data, the technical prerequisites must be created with immediate effect in order to record all diagnostic findings in accordance with the guideline on diagnostic data in pig slaughtering.
- Criterion 4.1.4 Registration of production companies with a certificate recognised by QS (for fruit, vegetables, potatoes) has been enhanced: For production companies which are certified against GLOBALG.A.P. only crops with included harvest are recognised in the QS scheme.
Further detailed information on all other guideline changes can be found in the revision information at the end of the respective guideline.
