Prohibited pig feed

Prohibited pig feed (PPF), previously known as swill, is food scraps or waste that contains, or has come into contact with, meat or meat products.

It is illegal to feed PPF to any pigs, including pets and pigs kept on your property for your own consumption.

PPF can contain viruses which cause deadly diseases such as foot and mouth disease, or African swine fever. These diseases are currently not found in Australia and could have far reaching impacts on our valuable livestock industries.

Don't feed these to pigs

You must not feed your pigs any meat or meat products, including:

  • pies, sausage rolls, bacon and cheese rolls
  • pizza
  • deli meats
  • household table scraps
  • commercial or industrial waste, such as restaurant food and discarded cooking oils.

Restrictions also include anything that has been in contact with prohibited pig feed via contaminated containers. For example, food that was stored or transported in meat trays, or take-away boxes that held PPF.

If you’re not sure, do not feed any food waste to your pigs.

What to feed your pigs

Look for feeds that have been prepared under a quality assurance program such as FeedSafe.

Ask your feed supplier for a vendor declaration, documenting that your pigs have not been fed anything of concern. See the accredited suppliers listed by the Stock Feed Manufacturers Council.

Alternative options

Other than approved feeds, you can give pigs the following foods:

  • milk, milk products and milk by-products, either of Australian origin or legally imported for stockfeed
  • eggs
  • non-meat bakery food
  • fruit, vegetables and cereals
  • rendered or commercially manufactured meat meals and tallow produced in accordance with the Australian Standards for the Hygienic Rendering of Animal Products
  • other feed that has been approved in writing by the Chief Inspector of Stock (Chief Veterinary Officer for SA).

Penalties

Businesses that prepare and sell food (e.g. restaurants, bakeries, hotels, fast food outlets, hospitals), have a legal responsibility to dispose of food waste appropriately through local council or commercial waste collection services.

It is illegal to provide a person with prohibited food waste that is to be fed to pigs. Penalties apply if you:

  • feed PPF to pigs
  • allow pigs to access PPF
  • store PPF at a place where any pigs are kept
  • collect or supply PPF to be fed to pigs.

The maximum penalty is a $10,000 fine.

Further information

Contact your local PIRSA Animal Health adviser or PIRSA office for more information about PPF.

If you suspect illegal pig feeding or have sick pigs, immediately call the below hotline.

Emergency Animal Disease Hotline

Suspected disease or pests in livestock, poultry or aquatic animals must be reported immediately.

Call us to help stop the spread of animal illness, even if you are unsure of the disease.

24 hours a day, 7 days a week

Freecall 1800 675 888
Page last reviewed: 25 Jan 2024

 


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