QS requirements beyond the law

Comprehensive feed monitoring

• For feed monitoring feeds are regularly examined for undesirable substances (e.g. mycotoxins, heavy metals and dioxins). The test results must be stored in the QS database. If it is necessary to react to special risks at short time, ad hoc monitoring plans or supplementary control plans are drawn up (currently valid: supplementary control plan for aflatoxin in maize products).
• For single harmful parameters, QS goes well beyond the legal requirements with stricter guideline values. For example, the maximum values in QS feed monitoring for aflatoxin are below the legal limits (e.g. compound feed for dairy cattle: legal maximum content 0.005 mg/kg, QS guideline value 0.001 mg/kg). QS also has guideline values for the mycotoxins DON, ZEA and aflatoxin for products from the sugar processing industry (sugar beet pulp). There are currently no legal requirements in this area.
• Manufacturers and distributors of the following end products must subject them to batch-related release testing before placing them on the market:
  • Fatty acids from chemical refining
  • Fatty acid distillates from physical refining
  • Monoesters of propylene glycol and fatty acids
  • Mixed fats and oils containing fatty acids and mixed fatty acids
  • Fish oil (raw)
  • Coconut oil (raw)

This means that these products may only be placed on the market if harmless test results are available.

• If another raw material other than vegetable oil is used for the production or if they are not produced with or from fatty acids from the splitting of vegetable oil, a release test must also be carried out for the following products:
  • Raw fatty acids from fat splitting
  • Pure distilled fatty acids from fat splitting
  • Fatty acids esterified with glycerol
  • Salts of fatty acids
  • Mono-, di- and triglycerides of fatty acids
  • Mono- and diglycerides of fatty acids esterified with organic acids

QS list of feed materal

• Exclusive use of raw materials according to the QS list of feed materail or lists of recognised standards.
• In addition, an exclusion list summarises substances that may not be used as feed or fuel in the QS scheme.

Documentation of VVVO numbers

• For deliveries of compound feed (loose goods) to farmers, the VVVO number (Registration number according to the Livestock Trade Ordinance) is documented for traceability purposes.

Cleaning requirements for the transport of feed

• Internationally harmonised specifications for the cleaning and disinfection of trucks and inland waterways used to transport feed.

Antibiotics and salmonella monitoring

• All pig and beef cattle farmers as well as all calf fatteners and poultry farms are obliged to participate in antibiotic monitoring. In cooperation with the coordinator and the farm veterinarian, all antibiotic administrations and the herd size are recorded for each individual farm. The obligation applies to livestock farmers in the QS scheme without consideration of a minimum number of animals kept (legislation: no reporting obligation for fattening ducks).
• Pig fattening farms must participate in salmonella monitoring. This obligation applies to all farms (legislation: only farms with at least 100 fattening pigs sold per year).
• Poultry farms must participate in salmonella monitoring. Each fattening run must be bacteriologically tested for salmonella.

Stock care by veterinarian

• Every animal keeper (pig, cattle and poultry) must arrange the stock care with a veterinarian. The care relationship shall be agreed by means of a written care contract. The implementation of herd care is to be documented.

List of livestock care personnel

• Each animal keeper (pig, cattle and poultry) must keep a list of animal carers with qualified information if more than one person is responsible for the care of the animals. All persons who are regularly entrusted with animal care are recorded.

Requirements for keeping turkeys for fattening

• Specific husbandry requirements for turkey rearing and fattening are defined in the Guidelines for Poultry Fattening. QS has defined requirements for a voluntary agreement on the keeping of fattening turkeys based on the uniform federal benchmarks and made them the QS Standard from the outset.

Requirements for keeping parent broilers and fattening turkeys and chick production

• Chicks for chicken and turkey fattening in the QS scheme must come from hatching eggs produced in QS-certified parent stock farms. The husbandry requirements for their parent flocks are laid down in the Guideline Agriculture Parent Poultry Husbandry.
• To ensure maximum animal health and welfare from the moment the chicks hatch, hatcheries are also integrated into the QS scheme and must meet specific requirements. QS-certified hatcheries may only purchase hatching eggs from QS-eligible parent farms to market QS chicks to QS fattening farms.

Health of footpad in poultry

• Turkey and chicken farmers must implement measures to improve foot pad health in their barns (quality of litter) and provide evidence of annual training/education.

 

Animal Health Index (TGI) for slaughter pigs

• Animal health indices are calculated quarterly for pig farms. Based on the slaughter results, indices are determined for each individual farm for the findings groups respiratory health, organ health, joint health and carcass integrity. They enable pig farmers to make a compact assessment of the slaughter findings and a direct comparison with other farms that have delivered to the same slaughterhouse. The basis of the animal health indices are the results of the official ante-mortem and post-mortem inspection, in each case for slaughterings of the last six months.

Residue test for calves for fattening

• Calf fatteners undergo a residue control programme on beta-agonists, artificial and natural hormones and other critical substances (e.g. chloramphenicol).

Crisis management agriculture

• An emergency plan to ensure the care of the animals (in the event of the farm manager's absence or in the event of a power failure) is obligatory.

Sty floors

• With a view to optimal animal housing and cleanliness, all housing facilities (especially stable floors) must be designed in such a way that the animals do not come into contact with faeces and urine more than is unavoidable. A dry lying area must be available to them (legislation: only required for pig farming).
• The specialised calf fattening farms must keep fattening calves in pens whose stable floors are equipped with an elastic padding in the feeding and lying area. This applies to new buildings as well as to renewal of stable floors in existing buildings (in each case after the cut-off date of 1 January 2020).

Space allowances

• In cattle husbandry, a minimum floor area is prescribed: over 400 kg live weight, at least 2.2 m2 must be available per animal (legislation: specifications only for calves up to 6 months).

Water supply

• In cattle sty, the water supply is defined: in tethered housing, a self-drinker must be available at each place. In group housing, a drinking trough to animal space ratio of no more than 1:15 is required for individual animal drinkers (1:10 recommended); if trough drinkers are used, the troughs must be at least 6 cm wide per animal.

Water quality

• In slaughterhouses, cutting plants and processing plants, water and ice used as an ingredient and/or for the treatment of food in the manufacturing process or for cleaning objects and equipment that could come into contact with food as intended, must be sampled in a risk-oriented manner in accordance with Purpose C of DIN EN ISO 19458.

 

Criteria for the slaughter of young animals

• Companies slaughtering non-castrated male pigs (young pigs or young pigs treated with a vaccination against boar taint) or which cannot exclude this in the future must implement procedures to ensure reliable detection of odour-prone carcasses.

Designation of an animal welfare officer

• All slaughter companies must designate an animal welfare officer to monitor compliance with animal welfare regulations (legislation: appointment only from a slaughter volume of 1,000 livestock units per year).
• The animal welfare officer must participate regularly in further trainings (internal/external) at intervals at least every three years.

Temperature recording and monitoring (poultry)

• In QS operations for poultry slaughtering, cooling with a spinchiller or comparable cooling methods is not permitted for hygienic reasons.

Exclusion of risk material

• Brain and spinal cord of bovine animals as well as spinal cord from pigs may neither be marketed nor processed in the QS scheme. The same applies to any kind of mechanically separated meat. In addition, QS products must be free of any foreign proteins (with the exception of hybrid products) that could increase the BEFFE value.

Annual training in accordance with the Infection Protection Act

• The system partners in the meat industry and in food retailing must provide evidence of annual training for employees in accordance with the Infection Protection Act (legislation: training only every two years).

Diagnostic data

• The recording of the findings goes beyond the legally required findings. In addition, the feedback of the findings to the livestock farmers takes place in such a way that the results are processed and give the livestock farmers the opportunity to compare themselves with other farms and to derive the need for action.
• The diagnostic data from pig slaughtering are recorded and evaluated in a central diagnostic database. For this purpose, data on respiratory health, organ health, joint health and intactness are compared. The technical facilities must be in place to record all findings in accordance with the guidelines.
• The diagnostic data from poultry slaughtering are recorded and evaluated for chickens, turkeys and Peking ducks in a central diagnostic database. For this purpose, data on mortality in the flock, mortality during transport, the number of discarded birds including reasons for discarding and changes in the foot pads are examined comparatively. In the case of turkeys, changes in the skin of the breast are also recorded.
• The diagnostic data from cattle slaughtering are recorded and evaluated in a central diagnostic database. Data on respiratory health, organ health, joint health and intactness are compared. Pregnancy in the third trimester and the degree of contamination are also considered.

 

Microbiology

• Listeria spp. must be considered in microbiological tests to check the success of cleaning and disinfection.

Product temperature

• Mandatory minimum temperature for fresh meat: not below -2 °C for all types of meat

Avoidance of residues/unauthorised substances

• Producers, wholesalers, processors and food retailers are obliged to participate in residue monitoring. According to a risk-oriented control plan, the products are examined for compliance with the (residue) maximum levels of active substances from plant protection products and post-harvest treatment agents, pollutants, heavy metals and nitrate, as well as for the permissibility of the active substances found. If exceedances are complained, the producer is blocked from the corresponding product.
• If active substances not authorised for the respective crop are detected above 0.015 mg/kg, the producer is blocked in the QS scheme for the corresponding product.
• When using plant protection products, for example, compliance with the waiting period and documentation of the active ingredient or beneficial insect used are obligatory.
• After a complaint has been made, the producers concerned have an obligation to obtain individual advice based on the case in question.

Prevention of microbiological contamination/hygiene

• The use of organic fertilisers may only take place under consideration of specified requirements, e.g. specifications on permitted ingredients for fermentation substrates. For the use of farm manure of animal origin, there are special requirements for apllication and deadlines.
• Use of water for irrigation and other water use before harvesting is only permitted after risk analysis and proven water quality (E.coli < 1000 cfu/100 ml).
• The system partners in processing and food retailing must provide evidence of annual training for employees in accordance with the Infection Protection Act (legislation: training only every two years).
• Toilets for harvest workers must be reached in a reasonable time. The number of toilets depends on the number of harvesters and the duration of the harvesting work. Disposable towels are mandatory for drying hands.

Traceability

• It is compulsory to indicate the identification number of the producer on the label or delivery note.

 

Soil requirements/fertilisation

• For risk minimisation, information on previous crops, soil condition (soil analysis), use of plant protection products, fertilisers or the application of sewage sludge must be proven for all areas.
• In the case of greenhouse cultivation of fruit and vegetables, the nitrogen fertilisation strategy shall be outlined.

Microbiological examinations

• Processed fruit and vegetables and processed potatoes must be tested for the following parameters:
  • Fruit and vegetables: EHEC (VTEC, STEC), yeasts
  • Fruit: Enterobacteriaceae, coagulase-positive staphylococci.