SZNS 031:2013 
    
ICS 65.120                               Edition 1              
 
 
 
 
 
 
SWAZILAND NATIONAL STANDARD  
 
 
 
Animal feeding stuff  - Cattle feed s 
- Specification s 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Published by: Swaziland Standards Authority  
SmithCo Building, 2nd Floor, 11th Street King Mswati III Avenue West  
P. O. Box 1399, Matsapha, Kingdom of Swaziland  
Telephone: +268 2518 4633, Facsimile: +268 2518 4526  
Website: www.swasa.co.sz  
E-mail: info@swasa.co.sz   
©Swaziland Standards Authority  2013  
 SZNS 031: 2013  
Edition 1  
ii           © SWASA 2013  – All rights reserved        
COPYRIGHT NOTICE  
 
This Swaziland Standards Authority (SWASA) document is a Swaziland National Standard and is 
copyright -protected by SWASA. Neither this SWASA document  nor any extract from it may  be 
reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, 
photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission being secured.  
 
Requests for permission to r eproduce should be addressed to:  
 
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Swaziland Standards Authority  
P.O. Box 1399, Matsapha  
Tel. + 268 2518 4633  
Fax: + 268 2518 4526  
E-mail: info@swasa.co.sz   
Website: www.swasa.co.sz  
 
Reproduction ma y be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.  
Violators may be prosecuted.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SZNS 031: 2013  
           Edition 1  
© SWASA 2013  – All rights reserved   iii Table of changes  
Clause Changed  Date  Change  
 
1. Scope  2011  Botswana standard’ replaced with ‘Swaziland standard’ in the 
scope.  
The sentence thus reads  ‘This Swaziland Standard specifies 
requirements for cattle feeds’.  
2.Normative 
references  2011  The sentence read ‘ Information on currently valid national and 
International standards can be obtained from the Botswana Bureau 
of Standards ’ 
And now reads ‘ Information on currently valid national and 
International standards can be obtained from the Swaziland 
Standards Authority’.  
8.Standards 
certification mark  2011  The whole clause was deleted.  
 
NATIONAL FOREWORD  
 
This Swaziland National Stan dard was prepared  by Technical C ommittee SWASA / TC 32- Animal 
feed   in accordance with procedures of the Swaziland Standards Authority, in compliance with Annex 
3 of the WTO/TBT Agreement. This National S tandard is derived from BOS  25: 2000  and is adopted 
with the permiss ion of the Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS ). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 SZNS 031: 2013  
Edition 1  
iv           © SWASA 2013  – All rights reserved  Table of contents                 Page  
1 Scope................................................................................................. ...............................................  1 
2 Normative references......................................................................... ..............................................  1 
3 Definitions.......................................................................................... .............................................  2 
4 Requirements.................................................................................. ..........  .......................................  2 
   4.1 Ingredients..................................................... ........... ..................... ..... .......................................  2 
   4.2 Growth stimulant and related compounds....................................... ..........................................  3 
   4.3 Limits of variation..................... ........................................................ .........................................  3 
   4.4 Upper limits on toxins and anti -nutritional factors......................... ...........................................  3 
   4.5 HACCP plan.......... ............................................... ............................... ......................................  5 
5 Sampling and preparation of test samples........................................... ............................................  5 
6 Packaging.................................................................... ............................... ......................................  6 
7 Marking..................................................................................................... .......................................  6 
Tables  
1 Upper limits on pathogens, toxins and anti -nutritional  factors................ .......................................  3 
2 Mineral and vitamin maximum tolerable levels for dairy cattle........... ..........................................  3 
3 Maximum tolerable dietary levels of critical elements ............................... .....................................  4 
4 Nutrient requirements for different classes of calf feed........................ .............. ...........................  4 
5 Nutrient requirements for various classes of beef cattle feed...................... ....................................  4 
6 Dairy cow feed nutrient  requirement in g/kg................ ............................... .......... ..........................  5 
7 Scale of sampling (bags) ................................. .................. ....................................  ..........................  6 
8 Scale of sampling (bulk) .......................................................... .......................................................  6 
 
 
 
   SZNS 0 31: 2013  
                         Edition 1  
 
© SWASA 2013  – All rights reserved   1 Animal feeding stuffs  - Cattle feeds  - Specification  
1 Scope  
This Swazi land N ational Standard specifies requirements for cattle feeds.  
2 Normative references  
The following standards contain pro visions, which, through reference in this text constitute provisions 
of this standard. All standards are subject to revision, and since any reference to a standard is deemed 
to be a reference to the latest addition  of that standard, parties to agreements  based on this standard 
are encouraged to take steps to ensure the use of the most recent editions of the standards indicated 
below. Information on currently valid national and International standards can be obtained from the 
Swaziland S tandard Authority.  
ISO 2479:1972, sodium chloride for industrial use - Determination of matter insoluble in water or in 
acid and preparation of principal solution for other determination.  
ISO 5498:1981, Agricultural food products - determination of crude fibre content - General m ethod.  
ISO 5510:1984, Animal feeding stuffs - determination of available lysine.  
ISO 5983:19797, animal feeding stuffs - determination of nitrogen content - Kjeldahl method.  
ISO 5984:1978, animal feeding stuffs - Determination of crude ash.  
ISO 6490 -1:1985, An imal feeding stuffs - Determination of calcium content. Part 1: trimetic method.  
ISO 6491:1998, Animal feeding stuff - Determination of phosphorus content.  
ISO6496:1983, Animal feeding stuffs - determination of moisture content.  
ISO 6498:1998,  Animal feeding stuffs - Preparation of test samples.  
ISO 6579:1993, Microbiology - General guidance on methods for detection of Salmonella.  
ISO 6633:1984, Fruits, vegetables and derived products - Determination of lead content - flameless 
atomic absorption spectrometric meth od. 
ISO 6651:1987, Animal feeding stuffs - Determination of aflatoxin B 1 content.  
ISO 6866:1985, Animal feeding stuffs - Determination of free and total gossypol.  
ISO 7251:1993, Microbiology - General guidance for the enumeration of presumptive Escherichia 
coli- most probable number technique.  
ISO 7302:1982, Cereal and cereal products - Determination  of total fat content.  
ISO 8294:1991, Animal and vegetable fats and oils - Determination of copper, iron and nickel 
content - Graphite furnace atomic absorption metho d.. 
ISO 11212 -2:1997, starch and derived products - Heavy metals content - Part 2: Determination of 
mercury content by atomic absorption spectrometry.  
ISO 11212 -3:1997, starch and derived products - Heavy metals content - Part 3: atomic absorption 
spectrometry . 
 
 
3 Definitions  
For the purpose of this Swazi National S tandard, the following definitions shall apply.  SZNS 0 31: 2013  
Edition 1  
2   © SWASA 2013 – All rights reserved  3.1  
approved  
means approved by the relevant authority but, in relation to the use of the certification mark, approved 
by the Swaziland Standards Aut hority.   
3.2  
antibiotics  
organic substances produced by fungi, bacteria, or algae. They inhibit the growth or destroy micro -
organisms in the animal that are detrimental to its health.  
3.3  
antimicrobial  
substance destructive to or preventing the developme nt of micro -organisms.  
3.4 
fat 
water insoluble substances of plants or animal origin, consisting predominantly of glycerol esters of 
fatty acids or triglycerides.  
3.5  
crude fat  
the expression ‘crude fat’ shall be construed as having the same meaning as th e word ‘fat’.   
3.6 
batch  
a number of collection of product units of the same size, type and style which, have been 
manufactured, processed or packaged under essentially the same conditions.  
3.7 
growth stimulant  
a substance that acts by increasing protein deposition without changing the protein and energy intake.  
3.8 
rancidity  
development of unpleasant flavours in oils and fats as a result of oxidation/ caused  by hydrolysis of fat 
with the liberation of free fatty acids.  
3.9 
growth promoter  
compound that can  improve growth rate and feed conversion in healthy animals on an optimal plane 
of nutrition approved.  
3.10 
hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) system  
logical, scientific approach to controlling safety problems in food production at each po int where 
safety could occur from biological, chemical, or physical hazards.   
4 Requirements  
4.1 Ingredients  
4.1.1 General  
All ingredients shall be free from adulterants and foreign material. Materials of animal origin shall 
from time to time, be determine d by the Ministry of Agriculture.  
 
4.1.2 Urea and non protein nitrogenous substances  
No urea or other non -protein nitrogenous substances, with the exception of amino -acids, shall be used 
in milk substitute meal or in calf meal.     SZNS 0 31: 2013  
                         Edition 1  
 
© SWASA 2013  – All rights reserved   3 4.1.3 Genetically modified organisms  
Genetically modified organisms and products thereof s hall only be used as feed ingredient only with 
written permission from the Swaziland Environment Authority (SEA).  
4.1.4 Whey powder   
Not more than 15% by mass of whey powder shall  be used in t he manufacture of milk substitute meal.  
4.2 Growth stimulant and related compounds  
4.2.1 General  
Growth stimulants and related compounds shall be  prohibited from being added to feed .  
4.2.2 Copper sulphate  
The addition of copper sulphate shall be  prohibite d. 
4.2.3  Antibiotics  
Antibiotics shall  be incorporated in a feed only with permission from the veterinary and livestock 
services in the department of agriculture, but a statement of their nature and proportions shall be 
included on the label.  
4.2.4 Growth promoter s 
Growth promoters shall be  prohibited from being added to feed.  
4.3 Limits of variation  
Variation of 15% shall be accepted.  
4.4 upper limits on pathogens, toxins and anti -nutritional factors  
Cattle feeds shall comply with requirements specified in  Table 1 to Table 6.  
Table 1- Upper limits on pathogens, toxins and anti -nutritional factors  
Pathogens, toxins 
and anti -nutritional 
factors  Class of diets   
Test method  Dairy 
cows and 
calves  Weaners  Bulls  All other 
cattle  
Aflatoxin B 1 mg/kg  0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 ISO 6651  
Free Gossypol mg/kg  120 200 600 600 ISO 6866  
Salmonelaa  0 ISO 6579  
E.coli  0 ISO 7251  
Table 2 - Mineral and vitamin maximum tolerable levels for dairy cattle  
Nutrient  Content  Test method  
Calcium, % m/m  2.00 ISO 6490 -1 
Phosphorus, % m/m  1.00 ISO 6491  
Magnesuim, % m/m  0.50 - 
Potassium, % m/m  3.00 - 
Sulphur, % m/m  0.40 - 
Iron, % m/m  1000  ISO 8294  
Cobalt, % m/m  1 - 
Manganese, 5 m/m  1 - 
Zinc, % m/m  0.5 - SZNS 0 31: 2013  
Edition 1  
4   © SWASA 2013 – All rights reserved  Iodine, % m/m  0.05 - 
Selenium, % m/m  0.002  - 
Vitamin A, IU/kg  66000  - 
Vitamin D,  IU/kg  10000  - 
Vitamin E, IU/kg  2000  - 
Table 3 - Maximum tolerable dietary levels of critical elements  
Element  Maximum tolerable levels  (% 
m/m)  Test method  
Aluminium  1 - 
Arsenic  1 - 
Bromine  0.2 - 
Cadmium  0.005  - 
Fluorine  0.04 - 
Lead  0.03 ISO 6633  
Mercury  0.002  ISO 112212 -2 
Molybdenum  0.01 - 
Nickel  0.05 - 
Vanadium  0.05 - 
Table 4 - Nutrient requirements for different classes of calf feed  
 Nutrient requirements for different classes of calf  
Nutrient  
(g/kg)  Calf starter  Calf grower  
Crude protein  180 160 
Moisture  120 120 
Fat 25 25 
Crude fibre  90 90 
Calcium  16 16 
Phosphorus  6 6-30 
Table 5 - Nutrient requirements for various classes of beef cattle feed  
 Class of beef cattle  
Nutrient (g/kg)  Grower ration  Beef finisher  Bull ration  Maintenance 
ratio n 
Crude protein  160 120 130 100 
Protein NPN, max  120 40 40 40 
Moisture  120 120 120 120 
Fat 25 25 25 15 
Crude fibre  150 120 150 200 
Calcium  8 10 10 15 
Phosphorus  3.5-30 3.5 3.5 3 
 
Table 6- Dairy cow feed nutrient requirement in g/kg    SZNS 0 31: 2013  
                         Edition 1  
 
© SWASA 2013  – All rights reserved   5  Crude 
protein  Protein 
NPN  Moisture  Fat Crude 
fibre  Ca P 
 min max max min max min max min max min 
 
Complete 
feed Early 
lactation 
(0-120 
days)  150 30 120 25 70 135 250 6 10 3.6 
Mid 
lactation 
(241-240 
days)  130 30 120 25 70 135 200 5 10 3 
Late 
lactation 
(241-300 
days)  120 30 120 25 70 135 280 5 10 2.8 
 
Dairy 
meal   
Complete 
dairy ration  110 35 120 25 85 - 120 2.5 8 5 
120 35 120 25 85 - 120 30 40 8.5 
120 35 120 25 85 - 120 - 15 5 
150 35 120 25 85 - 120 - 15 5 
170 35 120 25 85 - 120 - 15 5 
190 35 120 25 85 - 120 - 15 5 
210 35 120 25 85 - 120 - 15 5 
230 35 120 25 85 - 120 - 15 5 
Test methods  ISO 6983  ISO 6496  ISO 7302  ISO 5498  ISO 64 90-1 ISO 
6491  
 
NOTE   Where minimum and and/or maximum is not specified, the 15% below or above rule shall apply . 
 
4.5 HACCP plan  
All companies manufacturing feeds s hall have a plan to implement  HACCP system in their 
operations.   
5 Sampling and preparation of test samples  
Methods of sampling animal feeding stuffs and the preparation of test samples shall be in accordance  
with the Table 7 and 8.  
 
 
Table 7 - Scale of sampling (bags)  
Batch size (bag=50 kg)  Percentage of bags to be sampled  
2-20 20 
21-60 10 
61-200 7 SZNS 0 31: 2013  
Edition 1  
6   © SWASA 2013 – All rights reserved  201-500 5 
501-1000  4 
1001 and above  3 
Table 8 - Scale of sampling (bulk)  
Batch size (tonne)  Number of sampl es 
Less than 1  4 
1-2 6 
2-5 10 
5-10 15 
10-25 25 
25-50 40 
50-100 60 
For each additional 10 t in excess of 100 t  2 
6 Packaging  
Cattle feeds shall be packaged in a clean, dry, sound and sealed containers/bags made of suitable 
materials.  
7 Marking  
Every container holding cattle feed purporting to comply with this standard shall bear the following 
information, which shall be printed either on the container or on the label attached thereto:  
a) name of the pro duct with the brand name, if any ; 
b) a descrip tion of t he type of cattle feed and an indication of the class of cattle to which it is to be 
fed; 
c) the declared content of nutrients  listed in relevant tables;  
d) if antibiotics are present, a statement of their nature (see Clause 4. 2.3); 
e) the moistu re content shall be stated on the label;  
f) name and address of the manufacturer;  
g) batch or code numbe r, date of manufacture and expiry date;  
h) net mass; and  
i)  if genetically modified organisms or their products are present, a statement of their natu re shall be 
included on the label.  
In case of cattle feeds supplied in bulk the inf ormation listed in Clause 7 (a -i) shall be shown on the 
label, tag, or certificate accompanying the product.  
 
 
 
 
   SZNS 0 31: 2013  
                         Edition 1  
 
© SWASA 2013  – All rights reserved   7  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ICS 65.120 
Price  based  on 6 pages .