WA Q Lamb and MSA Code of Practice

• WA Q Lambs are handled quietly and with minimum stress during mustering and loading
• WA Q Lambs are only vaccinated in the back of head area
• Correct withholding periods for dips, drenches or antibiotics have been strictly observed prior to slaughter
• WA Q Lambs have not grazed single species pastures of lucerne or vetch; turnip or rape crops for a minimum of three weeks before slaughter
• WA Q Lambs have not been supplementary fed a ration containing more than 25% lupin grain as a proportion of their total diet during their lifetime
• No cryptorchids lambs in the sale lot are more than 8 months of age
• Ram lambs will not be accepted as WA Q Lamb after the end of the Spring Season
• WA Q Lambs are to be gaining weight in excess of 100g/h/day in the month prior to slaughter
• All WA Q lambs in the sale lot were individually weighed and fat scored in the week prior to slaughter and assessed to meet the specifications of a 18kg to 24kg carcase weight and fat and a fat score of 2 or 3 (6mm to 15mm at GR)
• WA Q Lambs are not to be delivered within two weeks of shearing (>5mm wool)
• WA Q Lambs are to be off feed for 12 hours prior to transporting
• WA Q Lambs are to have access to water at all times where practical
• Any sign of teeth eruption disqualifies the animal from being WA Q Lamb
• WA Q Lambs must be slaughtered within 48 hours off feed to be eligible for MSA
• The NVD form accompanying the WA Q Lambs has been completed to meet regulatory and MSA requirements
• WA Q Lamb producers agree to sell their Lambs on a c/kg over the hook basis and accept price discounts for those lambs not meeting the WA Q Lamb specifications

Producer members of the WA Q Lamb alliance will raise their lambs under a simple code of practice (Quality Assurance). They will commit a proportion of their expected production each year to the alliance processors.

Application for Membership

If you think you may be interested in joining the WA Q Lamb alliance, please contact Erin Gorter, our Administration Officer: