ASTRAL OPERATIONS LTD VETERINARY SERVICES POLICY STATEMENT I, the undersigned, CEO of Astral Operations Ltd, am committed to a policy of continuous improvement of poultry health and food safety and will ensure that this policy is understood, accepted, implemented and maintained throughout the company in the interest of our shareholders. It is our policy to implement and maintain a comprehensive poultry health plan, as a basis for Astral Poultry and Feed companies to deliver high specification products to our customers. This is supported by Good Manufacturing Practice in feed mills, Good Farming Practice in poultry operations and HACCP systems in Processing Plants. To ensure accuracy, traceability and competitiveness, we will use methods, techniques and procedures in line with the latest level of technology. We further commit ourselves to abide by the biosecurity protocol as approved by the responsible veterinarians to reduce biological risk factors and to ensure that these factors are taken into account when capital expenditure projects are planned. It is our policy to comply with the requirements of the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984, Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act 36 of 1947, Medicines and Related Substances Control Act 101 of 1965, Meat Safety Act 40 of 2000, Foodstuff, Cosmetics and disinfectant Act 54 of 1974 and any other national and international requirements. It is my responsibility to ensure that Astral Poultry and Feed companies COO s and personnel are free from any undue internal and external commercial, financial and other influences that may adversely affect the implementation of this policy. I therefore commit myself to the enforcement of this policy and require that all Poultry and Feed Mill COO s of Astral implement and abide by the supporting procedures. Mr. Nick Wentzel CEO Astral Foods Ltd. Policies: High Risk Diseases 2009-03-05 1
PROCECURE FOR THE CONTROL OF HIGH RISK DISEASES IN ASTRAL POULTRY OPERATIONS I. Preamble The purpose of this procedure is to define the strategy by which high risk diseases are to be controlled. Documentation supporting the procedure is filed separately as part of the comprehensive health plan as described under the relevant standard operating procedures and work instructions. Seven (7) poultry diseases are identified and grouped as: 1. High Risk (A List). The criterion for classification into this group is that such disease should have at least one or all of the following attributes: Of public health concern Notifiable to the State Affect international trade in poultry or poultry products Spread from parent to progeny through or on the egg 2. High Risk (B List). The criterion for classification into this group is that such disease should have at least one or all of the following attributes: Of public health concern Affect international trade in poultry or poultry products Spread from parent to progeny through or on the egg The diseases are classified as follows: 1. A List a. Notifiable Avian Influenza (NAI) H5, H6 & H7 b. Velogenic Newcastle Disease (NCD) 2. B List a. Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) b. Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) Policies: High Risk Diseases 2009-03-05 2
c. Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) d. Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) e. Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) II. Purpose The purpose of the Procedure for the Control of High Risk Diseases (HRDs) is to implement a risk control plan to reduce, manage and/or eradicate the identified poultry diseases for better health and production parameters of poultry flocks and to enhance safe and wholesome poultry products supplied by Astral to the public. Processes that will serve as a vehicle to support this goal are: Transparency and communication There will be open and responsible internal communication of the disease status of great-grand parents, grandparents and parent flocks. An electronic report summarizing such status will be circulated to Astral Operations COO s on regular basis. Closed production system No purchasing of eggs and chicks from an outside poultry companies into the Astral Group or, movement between Astral subsidiaries is to occur, unless the disease status of the High Risk Diseases is known to and certified by the consulting veterinarian on behalf of the business subsidiary concerned. Bio-security Movement of visitors and all Astral employees will be strictly controlled and enforced by the COO s, farm management and security as stipulated in the Biosecurity Movement Matrix. Policies: High Risk Diseases 2009-03-05 3
Disinfection of eggs, equipment & vehicles, disposal of litter and mortalities as well as showering in and out of farms are of extreme importance and must be strictly adhered to as is contained in the Astral Standard Operating Procedures. Vaccination Specific vaccination programmes exist for each poultry production operation to provide poultry flocks with the optimum immunological protection possible within the risk profile parameters. Full compliance with the Animal Diseases Act, Act 35 of 1984 Serological surveillance and disease reporting to the State is required by Astral in the interest of disease control in the Republic of South Africa, its customer base and to the poultry industry in the SADEC region. Treatment Where it is advisable to medicate flocks to control and/or prevent diseases from a veterinary health perspective, it will be done with the most effective product (efficacy and cost), following in vitro confirmatory tests, without compromising the health of the poultry and/or consumers of product. Slaughter out If the poultry s welfare is compromised, pose a severe threat to human health, is instructed by the State, or is financially justifiable to control the specific disease in question, the poultry will be humanely killed and disposed off according to the guidelines as set out in the code of conduct of the South African Poultry Association. Policies: High Risk Diseases 2009-03-05 4
III. Scope of this Procedure This procedure is applicable to all Astral Poultry Divisions within South Africa. 1. Avian Influenza (AI) All suspected cases of NAI (H5, H6 and H7) will be reported by the consulting veterinarian to the applicable State Veterinarian. Quarantine measures as contained in the State quarantine procedures will immediately be imposed on such sites and/or farms. If further confirmatory tests (such as the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or other test as required by the State) confirms that the AI virus in question is: 1. Low Pathogenic AI, birds will be monitored (in the case of breeders) and/or moved to the abattoir for slaughter under a Red Cross permit at the discretion of the State Veterinarian. 2. High Pathogenic AI, the Local State Veterinarian must immediately be notified and the guidelines as set out in the National Department of Agriculture s document will be implemented. 2. Newcastle Disease (NCD) All suspected cases of NCD will be reported by the consulting veterinarian to the applicable state veterinarian. Quarantine measures as contained in the State quarantine procedures will immediately be imposed on such sites and/or farms. If further confirmatory tests (such as the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or other test as required by the State) confirms that the NCD virus in question is: 1. Velogenic NCD, the Local State Veterinarian must immediately be notified. The Guidelines as set out in the National Department of Agriculture s document will be implemented. Policies: High Risk Diseases 2009-03-05 5
3. Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) Broiler breeder sites that are confirmed to be MG positive will be quarantined as per Astral s Internal Biosecurity Policy. Affected flocks shall be medicated with a Mycoplasma-specific antibiotic at the consulting veterinarian s discretion, and in consultation with the Group veterinarian and the COO of the business subsidiary concerned. 4. Mycoplasma synoviae (MS) Broiler breeder sites that are confirmed to be MS positive will be quarantined as per Astral s Internal Biosecurity Policy. Affected flocks may be medicated with a Mycoplasma-specific antibiotic at the consulting veterinarian s discretion, and in consultation with the Group veterinarian and the COO of the business subsidiary concerned. 5. Salmonella Enteritidis (SE) Salmonella control is based on a comprehensive reduction plan as set out in specific procedures and SOPs. In addition to a base line monitoring of the environment, breeder flocks shall be routinely monitored by dead-in-shell embryos specifically in addition to other specific monitoring. Suspect positive houses/sites/flocks that are confirmed to be positive on final samples taken from Breeder or Broiler birds will be reported to the Local State Veterinarian as per the National Department of Agricultures (NDA) guidelines. Further control, containment measures and/or treatment of the affected flock will be agreed upon by a consulting veterinarian, relevant COO and the company veterinarian. Policies: High Risk Diseases 2009-03-05 6
Broilers hatched from confirmed infected breeders will be treated with nonantibiotic gut-cleaners before slaughter. These broilers will be monitored for SE 10 days before slaughter to confirm the status and thereby reduce the risk to human health. 6. Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) As SG is not presently a notifiable disease, the following procedure is to be followed. A flocked will be considered positive for SG if the bacterium is isolated in samples taken from the bird(s) in question. The options whether to slaughter out or manage the infected flock with antibiotics will be discussed by the COO of the affected business division with the Poultry Division Managing Director, the consulting and company veterinarians. 7. Salmonella Typhimurium (ST) Salmonella control is based on a comprehensive reduction plan as set out in specific procedures and SOPs. In addition to a base line monitoring of the environment, breeder flocks will be routinely monitored by dead-in-shell embryos specifically in addition to other sprecific monitoring. Organ samples will be used to test for a flock s ST status. Positive breeders will be treated with an effective registered antibiotic or other effective alternatives. Broilers hatched from infected breeders will be treated with effective non-antibiotic gut-cleaners before slaughter. These broilers will be monitored for ST 10 days before slaughter to to confirm the status and thereby reduce the risk to human health. Policies: High Risk Diseases 2009-03-05 7