ICS 65.120  
 
Reference number
DRS 98: 2020
© RSB 2020
  
 RWANDA 
STANDARD  DRS
98
Third edition
2020 -mm-dd
Animal feed production, processing, 
storage and distribution —Code of practice  
   
DRS 98: 2020  
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  ii 
 In order to match with technological development and to keep continuous progress in industries, 
standards are subject to periodic review. Users shall ascertain that they are in possession of the latest 
edition  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© RSB 2020  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized 
in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without  
prior written permission from R SB. 
Requests for permission to reprodu ce this document should be addressed to : 
Rwanda Standards  Board  
P.O Box 7099 Kigali -Rwanda  
KK 15 Rd, 49  
Tel. +250 788303492  
Toll Free: 3250  
E-mail: info@rsb.gov.rw  
Website: www.rsb.gov.rw  
ePortal: www.portal.rsb.gov.rw   DRS 98: 2020  
iii                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 Contents  Page 
Foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... v 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ................ 1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................... 1 
4 Production, processing, storage, transport and distribution of feed and feed ingredients  .......... 4 
4.1 General requirements ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 4 
4.2 Incoming feeds  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .4 
4.2.1  General requirements ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 4 
4.2.2  Delivery, intake and storage of incoming feed  ................................ ................................ ................ 5 
4.3 Production and processing of animal feeds and feeds ingredients  ................................ .............. 6 
4.3.1  General ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............. 6 
4.3.2  Premises  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 6 
4.3.3  Feed ingredients mixing ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 6 
4.3.4  Manufacturing controls  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 6 
4.3.5  Temperature and time control, pelleting and cooling  ................................ ................................ .....7 
4.3.6  Metal detection and magnets  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........... 7 
4.3.7 Finished feed packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................. 7 
4.3.8  Finished feed labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 7 
4.3.9  Storage of finished feed  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................... 8 
4.3.10  Transport and delivery  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................... 8 
4.4 Mana gement of returns  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................... 9 
4.5 Product traceability and records keeping  ................................ ................................ ....................... 9 
4.5.1  General requirements ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................... 9 
4.5.2  Incomi ng feed  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 10 
4.5.3  Finished feed  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 10 
4.5.4  Delivery  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  11 
4.5.5  Special conditions applicable to emergency situations  ................................ ...............................  11 
4.6 Quality assurance, inspection and control procedures ................................ ................................  11 
4.7 Equipment performance and maintenance  ................................ ................................ ...................  12 
4.8 Sanitation and pest control  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  12 
4.9 Personnel training  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  13 
5 On-farm production and use of feed and feed ingredients  ................................ ..........................  13 
5.1 General ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  13 
5.2 Agricultural production of feed ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 13 
5.2.1  General ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  13 
5.2.2  Site selection  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .. 13 
5.2.3  Fertilizers  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  14 
5.2.4  Pesticides and  other agricultural chemicals  ................................ ................................ .................  14 
5.3 Manufacturing of feed on -farm  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 14 
5.3.1  Feed ingredients  ................................ ................................ ................................ .............................  14 
5.3.2  Mixing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  14 
5.3.3  Monitoring records  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  14 
5.4 Good animal feeding practice  ................................ ................................ ................................ ........  15 
5.4.1  Water  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...............  15 
5.4.2  Pasture grazing  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  15 
5.4.3  Feeding  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  15 
5.5 Stable feeding and lot/intensive feeding units  ................................ ................................ ..............  15 
5.5.1  Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  16 
5.6 Aquaculture  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .... 16 DRS 98: 2020  
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  iv 
  DRS 98: 2020  
v                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 Foreword   
Rwanda Standard s are prepared  by Technical Committees and approved by Rwanda Standards Board (RSB) 
Board  of Directors in  accordance with the procedures of RSB, in compliance with Annex 3 of the WTO/TBT 
agreement on the preparation, adoption and application of standards.  
The main task o f technical committees is to prepare national standards.  Final Draft Rwanda S tandards 
adopted by Technical committ ees are ratified  by me mbers of RSB Board of Director s for publication and 
gazettment as Rwanda Standards.  
DRS 98 was prepared by Technical Committee RSB/TC 008, Animal feeding stuffs . 
In the preparation of this standard, reference was made to the following standard  (s): 
1) KS 1647: 2001, Code of Practice for Animal Feed Production, Processing, Storage and Distribution  
The assistance de rived from the above source is hereby acknowledged with thanks.  
This third edition cancels and replaces the second edition (RS  98: 2015 ) which has  been technically revised.  
Committee membership  
The following organizations were represented on the Technical Committee on Animal feeding stuffs  (RSB/TC 
008) in the preparation of this standard.  
Akagera Dairy  
GORILLA Feeds  
RICA  
Rwanda Best Ltd  
SORWATHE  
ZAMURA Feeds  
Rwanda  Standards Board  (RSB) – Secretariat  DRS 98: 2020  
1                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 Animal feed production, processing, storage and distribution  — Code of 
practice  
1 Scope   
This Draft Rwanda standard specifies requirements for the  sourcing of animal feed ingredients,  production 
and use of all materials destined for animal feed and feed ingredients at all levels whether produce d 
industrially or on farm. It also includes grazing or free -range feeding, forage crop production , insects farming  
and aquaculture.  
2 Normative references   
There are no normative references in this  document   
3 Terms and definitions   
For the purposes of this standard, the follow ing terms and definitions apply . 
3.1 
feed ingredient  
component part or constituent of any combination or mixture making up a feed  
3.2 
incoming feed   
raw materials delivered at the beginning of the production chain, i.e. feed  materials, feed additives, processing 
aids, premixtures  
3.3 
feed (or feed ing stuff)  
any substance or product, including additives, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed , 
intended to be directly fed to animals  
3.4 
record  
document stating results/data achieved or providing evidence of activities performed   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  2 
 3.5 
cont rol 
monitor and measure processes and product against policies, objectives and requirements for the prod uct and  
report results  
3.6 
control measure  
any action and activity that can be used to prevent or eliminate a food/feed safety hazard or reduce  it 
to an  acceptable level 3.6 
finished feed  
products obtained at the end of the processing chain of the company  
3.7 
traceability  
ability to trace and follow a feed or substance intended to be, or expected to be incorporated into a feed,  
through all stages of production, processing and distribution  
3.8 
risk assessment  
scientifically based process consisting of four steps: hazard identification, hazard characterization , exposure  
assessment and risk characterization  
3.9 
risk 
function of the probability of an adve rse health effect and the severity of that effect, consequential to a hazard  
3.10 
premixtures  
mixtures of feed additives or mixtures of one or more feed additives with feed material or water use d as 
carriers, not intended to direct feeding to animals or blend of fortificants and diluents formulated to provide 
specified and determinable amounts of micronutrients  DRS 98: 2020  
3                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 3.11 
medicated feed  
any mixture of a veterinary medicinal product or products and feed or feeds which is ready prepared for 
marketing and intended t o be fed to animals  
3.12 
feed hygiene  
measures and conditions necessary to control hazards and to ensure fitness for animal consumption of  a 
feed, taking into account its intended use  
3.13 
food  
any substance or product, whether processed, partially processed or unprocessed, intended to be, or  
reasonably expected to be ingested by humans  
3.15 
batch  
unit of production produced in a single plant using uniform production parameters, or a number of su ch units  
[produced consecutively], when stored together , and that can be identified for the purposes of recall and 
retreatment  or disposal  
3.16 
compound feed  
mixtures of at least two different feed ingredients, whether or not containing additives, for oral a nimal -feeding  
in the form of complete or complementary feed  
3.17 
additives  
substances, microorganisms  or preparations, other than feed material or premixtures which are intentionally  
added to feed or water in order to perform in particular one or more functions (favourably)  
3.18 
feed material  
Various products  of mineral, vegetable or animal origin, in their natural state, fresh or preserved, and products  
derived from the industrial processing thereof, organic or inorganic substances, whether or not cont aining  
additives, which are intended for use in oral animal feeding either directly as such, or after processing, in the  
preparation of compound feeding stuffs or as carriers of premixtures   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  4 
 3.19 
hazard  
biological, chemical or physical agent in, or condition of, feed with the potential to cause an adv erse health  
effect  
4 Production, processing, storage, transport and distribution of feed and feed  
ingredients  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 The production, processing, storage, transport and distribution of safe and suitable feed and feed  
ingredients shall be the responsibility of all participants in the feed chain, including farmers, feed ingredient  
manufacturers, feed compounders, truckers, etc. Each participant in the feed chain shall be responsi ble for all  
activities that are under their direct control, inc luding compliance with any applicable statutory requirements.  
4.1.2 Feed and feed ingredients should not be produced, processed, stored, transported or distributed in  
facilities or using equipment where incompatible operations may affect their safety and l ead to adverse effects  
on consumers’ health. Due to the unique characteristics of aquaculture, the application of these gen eral 
principles shall consider the differences between aquaculture and terrestrial -based production.  
4.1.3 Where appropriate, operato rs should follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs) and, where  
applicable, HACCP principles to control hazards that may affect food safety. The aim is to ensure fe ed safety  
and in particular to prevent contamination of animal feed and food of animal origi n as far as this is reasonably  
achievable, recognising that total elimination of hazards is often not possible.  
4.1.4 A trained employee shall be designated as the person responsible for the production process and all  
plant personnel should be adequately t rained and shall work to GMP.  
4.2 Incoming feeds  
4.2.1  General requirements  
4.2.1.1  Feed materials shall be obtained from sources, preferably, with a supplier warranty and the 
supplier  should have undergone evaluation and recognized by the purchaser prior to deliver ing. Monitoring of 
feed ingredients shall include inspection and sampling for contamination using risk based protocols.  
4.2.1.2  Minerals, supplements, vitamins, and other additives shall be obtained from manufacturers who  
guarantee the concentration and pu rity of ingredients and provide instructions for correct use and expiry  
dates. The supplier shall be approved by a competent authority.  
4.2.1.3  The plant shall have a standard specification mentioning the characteristics required for each  
incoming feed. Th e standard specification shall indicate when and to what extent deviations may be accepted.  
4.2.1.4  Specifications shall at least cover:  
a) analytical characteristics of the feed materials, feed additives and premixtures;  DRS 98: 2020  
5                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 b) results of the risk analysis carried out for each incoming feed, e.g. the product specification and  
monitoring programme for undesirable substances;  
c) list of approved geographic origins and sources;  
d) types of feeding stuffs in which their use is approved; and  
e) notes on any hazards or limitations  on their use and any special characteristics of the feed ingredients, 
feed additives and premixtures.  
4.2.2  Delivery, intake and storage of incoming feed  
4.2.2.1  Each batch of feed materials, feed additives and premixtures delivered to a plant shall be  
traceabl e. 
4.2.2.2  Incoming feeds shall meet acceptable and, if applicable, statutory standards for levels of  
pathogens, mycotoxins, herbicides, pesticides and other contaminants which may give rise to human an d/or 
animal health hazards.  
4.2.2.3  Animal products th at could be a source of the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) agent  
should not be used for feeding directly to, or for feed manufacturing for, ruminants.  
4.2.2.4  Veterinary drugs used in medicated feed shall comply with the provisions of the CAC/RCP 3 8 and  
CAC/RCP 61.  
4.2.2.5  Designated and trained staff shall be present at the point of delivery and intake.  
4.2.2.6   Incoming feeds that have been rejected shall be clearly identified and segregated from other  
materials in a manner which precludes their u nauthorised use. Disposal of rejected incoming feeds should be  
undertaken only after consultation with the manufacturer and/or supplier and should be done in accor dance  
with the standards and regulation in place.  
4.2.2.7  Incoming feeds shall be received, handled and stored to maintain their integrity and to minimize 
misuse or unsafe contamination. There should be a system of site allocation for safe storage ( easily 
identifiable , no mixing with other feed additives, intake identification easily visible). In case of doubt on the  
identity of a product during storage (damaged packaging), a procedure shall be established whereby t he feed  
safety manager shall decide about the destination of the product (re -identification, clearan ce for use, 
disposal,etc.). Records shall be kept about the action taken.  
4.2.2.8  Chemical fertilizers, pesticides and other materials not intended for use in feed and feed  
ingredients shall be stored separately from incoming feeds to avoid the potential f or manufacturing errors and  
contamination of feed and feed ingredients.   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  6 
 4.3 Production and processing of animal feeds and feeds ingredients  
4.3.1  General  
The effective implementation of GMPs and, where applicable, HACCP -based approaches shall insure, in  
particular, that the requirements stated in 3.3.2 - 3.3.10 are complied with.  
4.3.2  Premises  
4.3.2.1  Buildings and equipment used to process feed and feed ingredients shall be constructed in a 
manner  that permits ease of operation, maintenance and cleaning, and minimises fe ed contamination. 
Process flow  within the manufacturing facility should also be designed to minimise feed contamination.  
4.3.2.2  Water used in feed manufacture shall meet hygienic standards for potable water RS EAS 12. 
Tanks,  pipes and other equipment used  to store and convey water shall be of appropriate materials which do 
not produce unsafe levels of contamination.  
4.3.2.3  Sewage, waste and rain water shall be disposed of in a manner which avoids contamination of  
equipment, feed and feed ingredients.  
4.3.3  Feed  ingredients mixing  
4.3.3.1  Additives shall be incorporated in animal feed in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions an d 
legal requirements. A specific attention should be paid to those additives which the standard requir es to be  
incorporated in a nimal feed in the form of premixtures (liquid or solid), such as Vitamins A and D, coccidiostats  
and histomonostats.  
4.3.3.2  Where automatic dosage is used for feed additives, the equipment shall include adequate dosing and  
locking systems. The sequence of  operations for the transport of additives shall be established beforehand  
and shall be recorded in a written procedure.  
4.3.3.3  Daily administrative records shall be kept on the types of feed manufactured (name) and the quantity  
of additives (or premixtur es containing additives).  
4.3.3.4  The composition of a batch of animal feeds to which additives are added shall respect the fixed  
tolerances set in the product specifications.  
4.3.4  Manufacturing controls  
4.3.4.1  Manufacturing procedures shall be used to avoid cross -contamination (such as flushing, sequencing  
and physical clean -out) between batches of feed and feed ingredients containing restricted or otherwise n 
potentially harmful materials (such as certain animal by -product meals, veterinary drugs). These proc edures  
shall also be used to minimise cross -contamination between medicated and non -medicated feed and other  
incompatible feed. In cases where the food safety risk associated with cross -contamination is high and the  
use of proper flushing and cleaning meth ods is deemed insufficient, consideration shall be given to the use of  
completely separate production lines, transfer, storage and delivery equipment.  
4.3.4.2  Pathogen control procedures, such as heat treatment or the addition of authorised chemicals, 
shall be used where appropriate, and monitored at the applicable steps in the manufacturing process.  DRS 98: 2020  
7                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 4.3.5  Temperature and time control, pelleting and cooling  
4.3.5.1  Where the temperatures of the finished feed, process and/or environment are critical to the 
product ’s safety and legality, this shall be adequately controlled, monitored and the control measures be 
recorded.  
4.3.5.2  Air drawn into the cooler is a potential source of bacterial contamination. Therefore, it shall as f ar 
as possible be drawn from clean areas of the mill, and in particular not be drawn from intake areas.  
4.3.5.3  The pelleting conditions shall be adapted to the stability of the incorporated feed additives.  
4.3.6  Metal detection and magnets  
Metal detection equipment and magnets shall be included in the processing systems where necessary and  
regularly checked for their effective operation. Records of the checks shall be kept.  
4.3.7  Finished feed packaging  
4.3.7.1  Finished feed packaging shall meet either internal or customer specifications and be suitabl e for the  
means of delivery and transport used and the type of finished feed. The packaging shall be designed to 
protect finished feed from contamination and deterioration.  
4.3.7.2  The packaging as well as the delivery documents shall be clear and unambigu ous. All relevant  
information in accordance with 3.3.8 shall be included on delivery documents or attached labels to t he product  
packaging.  
4.3.7.3  Pallets shall be clean, in good state and stored in a dry environment  
4.3.8  Finished feed labelling  
Labelling shal l be clear and informative as to how the user should handle, store and use feed and feed  
ingredients and shall be consistent with any statutory requirements. Labelling or the accompanying  
documents shall contain but not limited the following:  
a) information a bout the species or category of animals for which the feed is intended;  
b) net content;  
c) list of feed ingredients, including appropriate reference to additives, in descending order of propo rtion;  
d) contact information of manufacturer or packer;  
e) directions and pr ecautions for use, if applicable;  
f) batch identification;   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  8 
 g) manufacturing date; and  
h) “use before” or expiry date.  
4.3.9  Storage of finished feed  
4.3.9.1  Finished feeds shall be separated from unprocessed ingredients.  
4.3.9.2  Storage places shall be designed in a way that they are easy to clean and to minimize 
accumulation  of spoiled ingredients or other contaminants.  
4.3.9.3  The finished feed shall be kept in good hygienic storage places and only be accessible to persons  
who are granted an authorization by the manufac turer.  
4.3.9.4  Storage areas shall be constructed to insure maximum prevention against the entrance of 
domestic,  feral and wild animals and insects.  
4.3.9.5  Storage places containing finished feed shall be monitored for temperature and moisture. 
Elevated  temperature and moisture levels are an early sign of deterioration in feedstuffs and finished feeds 
due to  fungal growth or insect infestations.  
4.3.9.6  Procedures should be established to keep to a minimum the proportion of out -of-date stocks (e.g.  
first-in-first-out principle) by applying a careful stock rotation. Materials shall be stored in such a way that th ey 
are clearly identifiable, and that their intake identification is easily visible. The effectiveness of the stock  
rotation shall be monitored by t he feed safety manager.  
4.3.9.7  The way in which finished products are stored shall in no way lead to confusion or contamination  
between different finished feed, between feed ingredients or feed additives containing high levels o f 
undesirable substances an d finished feed or between supplemented feeding stuffs and feed additives.  
4.3.9.8  Waste feed and other material containing unsafe levels of undesirable substances or any other  
hazards should not be used as feed and should be disposed of in an appropriate manner in compliance with  
any applicable standard/regulation requirements.  
4.3.10  Transport and delivery  
4.3.10.1  The transport of incoming as well as finished feed shall be made by using only clean vehicles.  
4.3.10.2  All means of transport, whether in bulk or packed, shall be appropriate and adequately controlled  
with specific regard to hygiene and potential contamination.  
4.3.10.3  To facilitate the traceability of finished products during or after transport, the individual load s hall 
be recorded.  
4.310.4  The f eed manufacturer shall develop a system for order taking and fulfilment to ensure that the  
customer receives the type of feed ordered in safe and hygienic conditions.  DRS 98: 2020  
9                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 4.3.10.5  Before the feed is loaded, no materials from previous loadings shall remain in t he vehicle (tank 
truck,  boxes) which shall be clean and dry.  
4.3.10.6  Incoming and finished feed shall be protected from contamination and kept dry during transport.  
Enclosed vehicles or containers should be used whenever possible for loose bulk, but where  this is  
impracticable, the loads shall be covered. The cover used shall be maintained in a clean condition b y being  
regularly cleaned, sanitised and dried.  
4.3.10.7  Records and other information should be maintained as indicated in 3.5 to include the iden tity and  
distribution of feed and feed ingredients so that any feed or feed ingredients considered to pose a threat to  
consumers’ health can be rapidly removed from the market and that animal exposed to the relevant fee d can  
be identified.  
4.4 Management of re turns  
4.4.1 The production of finished feed shall be organised, both on an internal and external level, with an eye 
to limit possible returns to a minimum.  
4.4.2 Approval of any return for rework shall be formal and recorded. This shall be a function of th e feed  
safety manager.  
4.4.3 Returns shall, whenever possible, be reincorporated into their original batch or "run". The 
reincorporation  process shall take place in accordance with procedures determined by the feed safety 
manager.  
4.4.4 If returns cannot be reincorporated into their original batch or “run”, the manufacturer shall clearly  
indicate in which suitable containers the feed returns shall be stored.  
4.4.5 Procedural rules shall lay down in which feed formulation, returns may be incorporated and th e 
maximum percentage of returns in the respective feed type. In no case a product containing an ingred ient 
subject to restrictions of use shall be reprocessed into a batch designed for species for which this  material is  
prohibited.  
4.4.6 The quantity of re turns, which have been reprocessed, shall be recorded on a daily basis. These  
administrative registers shall also indicate the batches of the respective feed type, in which these  returned  
products were reprocessed.  
4.5 Product traceability and records keeping  
4.5.1  General requirements  
4.5.1.1  Traceability/product tracing of feed and feed ingredients, including additives, should be enabled 
by proper record keeping system for timely and effective withdrawal or recall of products if known or p robable  
adverse effects on  consumers’ health are identified.  
4.5.1.2  Records should be maintained and readily available regarding the production, distribution and use 
of feed and feed ingredients to facilitate the prompt trace -back of feed and feed ingredients to the immediate  
previous source and trace -forward to the next subsequent recipients.   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  10 
 4.5.2  Incoming feed  
4.5.2.1  Records shall be kept but not limited of the following details for each delivery of incoming feed:  
a) date/time of intake;  
b) delivery vehicle identification;  
c) name and nature of incoming feed;  
d) quantity delivered;  
e) name of supplier;  
f) delivery order or reference;  
g) analytical results relevant for the feed safety management;  
h) country of origin; and  
i) identifier of storage allocation  
4.5.2.2  For purchased premixtures, the following additi onal records shall be kept:  Manufacturers’ batch 
number(s) and number of containers for each batch  
4.5.2.3  For additives, the following additional records shall be kept:  
a) manufacturers’ batch number(s) and number of containers for each batch;  
b) generic name o f the feed additives;  
c) average quantities of active substances guaranteed by the supplier;  
d) instructions of use; and  
e) shelf life time  
4.5.3  Finished feed  
Records shall be kept but not limited to the following details for each batch of manufactured produc ts: 
a) name, n ature and category of the feed;  
b) batch number;  DRS 98: 2020  
11                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 c) manufacturing date;  
d) nature and proportion of feed materials, premixtures and feed additives used in accordance with the  
actual formula; and  
e) identifier of storage allocation.  
4.5.4  Delivery  
Records shall be kept regarding the customer to whom the final product was sold to:  
a) name, nature and category of the feed Batch number;  
b) name and address of the customer;  
c) date/time of delivery;  
d) delivery order or reference; and  
e) delivery vehicle identification.  
4.5.5  Special conditions applicable to emergency situations  
Operators should, as soon as reasonable, inform and notify the competent authorities in the country or in the  
importing country if they consider that a feed or feed ingredient does not comply with the feed safe ty 
requirem ents. The information should be as detailed as possible and should at least contain a description of  
the nature of the problem, a description of the feed or feed ingredients, the species for which it i s intended, the  
lot identifier, the name of the manufac turer and the place of origin. The competent authorities and operators  
should immediately take effective measures to ensure that those feed or feed ingredients do not pose  any 
danger to consumers’ health.  
4.6 Quality assurance, inspection and control procedure s 
4.6.1 Quality assurance begins with the concept of what the feed product is to be, in terms of the species  
being fed and the expected results.  
4.6.2 Ingredient specifications are important to quality assurance in defining the quality of the feed stu ffs to 
be accepted by the processor when raw materials are received for processing.  
4.6.3 The formulation of the finished feed shall meet the regulatory and standard requirements as well as  
satisfy the animal production objectives of the customer.  
4.6.4 Feed an d feed ingredients manufacturers and other relevant parts of industry should practice self-
regulation / auto-control to secure compliance with required standards for production, storage and transport.  
4.6.5 Inspection and control procedures should be used t o verify that feed and feed ingredients meet  
requirements in order to protect consumers against food -borne hazards.   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  12 
 4.6.6 Inspection systems should be designed and operated on the basis of objective risk assessment  
appropriate to the circumstances. Prefera bly the risk assessment methodology employed should be consistent  
with internationally accepted approaches. Risk assessment should be based on current available scien tific 
evidence.  
4.6.7 Monitoring of feed and feed ingredients, whether by industry or official inspection bodies, shall include  
inspection and sampling and analysis to detect unacceptable levels of undesirable substances.  
4.6.8 Sampling and analysis shall be done in accordance with relevant standards  
4.7 Equipment performance and maintenance  
4.7.1 All scales and metering devices used in the manufacture of feed and feed ingredients should be  
appropriate for the range of weights and volumes to be measured, and be tested regularly for accurac y. 
4.7.2 All mixers used in the manufacture of feed and f eed ingredients should be appropriate for the range 
of weights or volumes being mixed and be capable of manufacturing suitable homogeneous mixtures and  
homogeneous dilutions, and be tested regularly to verify their performance.  
4.7.3 All other equipment used in the manufacture of feed and feed ingredients shall be appropriate for the 
range of weights or volumes being processed, and be monitored regularly.  
4.7.4 A calibration plan shall be established to specify the following:  
a) required calibration accuracy ; 
b) frequency of calibration; and  
c) calibration reference standards.  
4.7.5 Records shall be kept on calibration and all equipment shall be uniquely identifiable and traceable to 
calibration records.  
4.8 Sanitation and pest control  
4.8.1 Feed and feed ingredients, processing plants, storage facilities and their immediate surroundings shall  
be kept clean and effective pest control programmes shall be implemented.  
4.8.2  Containers and equipment used for manufacturing, processing, transport, storage, conveying, 
handling  and weighing shall be kept clean. Cleaning programmes shall be effective and minimise residues of  
detergents and disinfectants.  
4.8.3 Machinery coming into contact with dry feed or feed ingredients shall be dried following any wet  
cleaning process . 
4.8.4 The equipment shall be cleaned between batches to prevent cross contamination (contamination of  
another feed) in cases where certain species may be poisoned by some ingredients used in feeds for d ifferent  
species of animals  DRS 98: 2020  
13                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 4.8.5 Special precaution s should be taken when cleaning machinery used for moist and semi -moist feed 
and feed ingredients to avoid fungal and bacterial growth.  
4.9 Personnel training  
All personnel involved in the manufacture, storage and handling of feed and feed ingredients shall b e 
adequately trained and aware of their role and responsibility in protecting food safety. There shall  be an  
effective training programme.  
5 On-farm production and use of feed and feed ingredients  
5.1 General  
This clause provides guidance on the cultivation, manu facture, management and use of feed and feed  
ingredients on farms and in aquaculture.  This clause should be used in conjunction with the applicable 
requirements of clause 4 of this standard.  To help ensure the safety of food used for human consumption, 
good agricultural practices should be applied  during all stages of on -farm production of pastures, cereal grain 
and forage crops used as feed or feed  ingredients for food producing animals. For aquaculture the same 
principles should apply, where applicable.  Three types of contamination represent hazards at most stages of 
on-farm production of feed and feed  ingredients, namely:  
a) biological, such as bacteria, fungi and other microbial pathogens;  
b) chemical, such as residues of medication, pesticides, fertilizer or other agricultural substances; and  
c) physical, such as broken needles, machinery and other foreign material.  
5.2 Agricultural production of feed  
5.2.1  General  
Adherence to good agricultural practices is encouraged in the production of natural, improved and cu ltivated  
pastures and in the production of forage and cereal grain crops used as feed or feed ingredients for  food  
producing animals. Following good agricultural practice standards minimize the risk of biological, c hemical and  
physical contaminants entering the foo d chain. If crop residuals and stubbles are grazed after harvest, or  
otherwise enter the food chain, they should also be considered as livestock feed. Most livestock con sume a  
portion of their bedding. Crops that produce bedding material or bedding materia ls such as straw or wood  
shavings shall also be managed in the same manner as animal feed ingredients. Good pasture managemen t 
practices, such as rotational grazing and dispersion of manure droppings, should be used to reduce cross 
contamination between gr oups of animals.  
5.2.2  Site selection  
Land used for production of animal feed and feed ingredients should not be located in close proximit y to 
industrial operations where industrial pollutants from air, ground water or runoff from adjacent lan d would be  
expected  to result in the production of foods of animal origin that may present food safety risk. Contaminant s 
present in runoff from adjacent land and irrigation water shall be below levels that present a food safety risk.   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  14 
 5.2.3  Fertilizers  
5.2.3.1  Where manure fertili zation of crops or pastures is practised, an appropriate handling and storage  
system shall be in place and maintained to minimize environmental contamination, which could negativ ely 
impact on the safety of foods of animal origin. There should be adequate t ime between applying the manure  
and grazing or forage harvesting (silage and hay making) to allow the manure to decompose and to min imize  
contamination.  
5.2.3.2  Manure, compost and other plant nutrients shall be properly used and applied to minimize 
biolog ical, chemical and physical contamination of foods of animal origin which could adversely affect food 
safety.  
5.2.3.3  Chemical fertilizers shall be handled, stored and applied in a manner such that they do not have a  
negative impact on the safety of foods of animal origin.  
5.2.4  Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals  
5.2.4.1  Pesticides and other agricultural chemicals shall be obtained from safe sources. Any chemical 
used  shall comply with relevant standard.  
5.2.4.2  Pesticides shall be stored according to the manufacturer’s instructions and used in accordance 
with good agricultural practice in the use of pesticides. It is important that farmers carefully follow t he 
manufacturer’s instructions for use for all agricultural chemicals.  
5.2.4.3  Pesticides and ot her agricultural chemicals should be disposed responsibly in a manner that do 
not lead to contamination of any body of water, soil, feed or feed ingredients that may lead to the 
contamination of  foods of animal origin which could adversely affect food safe ty. 
5.3 Manufacturing of feed on -farm  
5.3.1  Feed ingredients  
On-farm feed manufacturers should follow the applicable guidelines established in 4.2 of this standard when  
sourcing feed ingredients off the farm.  Feed ingredients produced on the farm shall meet the requ irements 
established for feed ingredients sourced  off the farm. For example, seed treated for planting shall not be fed.  
5.3.2  Mixing  
On-farm feed manufacturers should follow the applicable guidelines established in clause 3 of this stan dard;  
particular attentio n shall be given to 4.3.2. In particular, feed should be mixed in a manner that minimize the 
potential for cross -contamination between  feed or feed ingredients that may have an effect on the safety or 
withholding period for the feed or feed  ingredients.  
5.3.3  Monitoring records  
5.3.3.1  Appropriate records of feed manufacturing procedures followed by on -farm feed manufacturers 
shall be maintained to assist in the investigations of possible feed -related contamination or disease events.  DRS 98: 2020  
15                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 5.3.3.2  Records shall be kept  of incoming feed ingredients; the record keeping shall follow records set 
out in  4.5 of this standard.  
5.4 Good animal feeding practice  
Good animal feeding practices include those practices that help to ensure the proper use of feed and  feed  
ingredients on-farm while minimising biological, chemical and physical risks to consumers of foods of animal  
origin.  
5.4.1  Water  
Water for drinking or for aquaculture should be of appropriate quality for the animals being produce d. Where  
there is reason to be concerned abou t contamination of animals from the water, measures shall be taken to  
evaluate and minimise the hazards.  
5.4.2  Pasture grazing  
5.4.2.1  The grazing of pastures and crop lands should be managed in a way that minimises the avoidable  
contamination of foods of animal  origin by biological, chemical and physical food safety hazards.  
5.4.2.2  Where appropriate, an adequate period should be observed before allowing livestock to graze on  
pasture, crops and crop residuals and between grazing rotations to minimise biological cross -contamination  
from manure.  
5.4.2.3  Where agricultural chemicals are used, operators should ensure that the required withholding 
periods  are observed.  
5.4.3  Feeding  
5.4.3.1  Correct feed shall be fed to the right animal group and the directions for use shall  be followed.  
Contamination shall be minimised during feeding. Information should be available of what is fed to a nimals  
and when, to ensure that food safety risks are managed.  
5.4.3.2  Animals receiving medicated feed shall be identified and managed approp riately until the correct  
withholding period (if any) has been reached and records of these procedures shall be maintained.  
Procedures to ensure that medicated feed are transported to the correct location and are fed to anim als that  
require the medication shall be followed. Feed transport vehicles and feeding equipment used to deliver and  
distribute medicated feed shall be cleaned after use, if a different medicated feed or non -medicated feed or  
feed ingredient is to be transported next.  
5.5 Stable feeding and lot/intensive feeding units  
The animal production unit should be located in an area that does not result in the production of fo od of animal  
origin that poses a risk to food safety. Care should be taken to avoid animal access to contaminated  land, and  
to facilities with potential sources of toxicity.   
©RSB 2020  - All rights reserved                  16 
 5.5.1  Hygiene  
5.5.1.1  The animal production unit should be designed so that it can be adequately cleaned. The animal  
production unit and feeding equipment shall be thoroughly cleaned regularly to prevent potential hazards to  
food safety. Chemicals used shall be appropriate for cleaning and sanitising feed manufacturing equi pment  
and shall be used according to instructions. These products shall be properly labelled and stored aw ay from  
feed manufacturing, feed storag e and feeding areas.  
5.5.1.2  A pest control system should be put in place to control the access of pests to the animal 
production  unit to minimise potential hazards to food safety.  
5.5.1.3  Operators and employees working in the animal production unit shall  observe appropriate 
hygiene  requirements to minimise potential hazards to food safety from feed.  
5.6 Aquaculture  
5.6.1 Aquaculture includes a wide range of species of finfish, molluscs, crustaceans, cephalopods, etc. Th e 
complexity of aquaculture is reflected  in the wide range of culturing methods ranging from huge cages in open  
seas to culturing in small freshwater ponds. The diversity is further reflected by the range of stag es from  
larvae to full grown size, requiring different feed as well as different cul ture methods. Nutritional approaches  
range from feeding only naturally occurring nutrients in the water to the use of sophisticated equip ment and  
scientifically formulated compound feed.  
5.6.2 To ensure food safety, necessary precautions shall be taken reg arding culturing methods, culturing  
sites, technologies, materials and feed used to minimize contamination in order to reduce food hazar ds. 
5.6.3  Requirements for animal feed ingredients retailers /distributors  
 
  DRS 98: 2020  
17                ©RSB 2020 - All rights reserved  
 Bibliography  
[1] RS 98: 2015, Animal feed production, processing, storage and distribution —Code of practice, Second 
edition  
 DRS 98: 2020  
 
Price based on  nnn pages  
©RSB 2020 - All right s reserved