Labeling under HASNO is a problem for all companies with animal health products which are classified as hazardous. ERMA does not prescribe what must go on the label, but the controls spell out the information requirements which for most of us applies to the label.

Because New Zealand has committed to the Globally Harmonised system of regulation of hazardous substances ahead of agencies in other countries, once New Zealand labels have appropriate labels under HSNO, they will appear to be more dangerous to the public and to the

environment than exactly the same product in European countries and other countries not yet committed to GHS. Given the highly competitive markets that most of our farm produce sells into, there is possibility that this could be used against New Zealand products.

There has been much concern that ACVM has been putting final labels on the ACVM web-site. Final labels generally include ERMA required information statements e.g. that the product is carcinogenic or an aquatic toxin Often the risk from these products is negligible because of .

the pack size and format, and the dose rate and method of administration, so the information is somewhat misleading.

There is a conundrum. No want wants to withhold information from the public by hiding the hazard classification, but readers need to be informed about what the classification really means.

There is a lot of work to be done in this area in order to inform the New Zealand public and to protect trade.

Reprinted from the ARPPA newsletter with the kind permission of Gabrielle Deuss.

Mixing Liver-X

An intriguing question arose recently as to how much water should be mixed with Liver-X for back pack dosing. Liver-X is a powder made for mixing in the feed, and the rumen protecting coating makes it insoluble in water.

Nevertheless 20 g (1 sachet) per 50 ml of water made a fine suspension that would easily suit a drench gun. Thus a 5 L back pack would contain 20 adult cow doses, 100 sheep or calf doses and 500 lamb doses.