Requirements for pet food, animal feed, and nutritional supplements

Authorisation of your product

Pet food, animal feed, and nutritional supplements are classed as "oral nutritional compounds" (ONCs). ONCs are agricultural compounds so must comply with the Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (ACVM) Act 1997.

Find out how we define ONCs (pet food, animal feed, and nutritional supplements)

If you want to manufacture, sell, use or import an agricultural compound in New Zealand, it must be authorised. This is required by the ACVM Act. ONCs are normally authorised via an exemption from registration, under regulations.

Agricultural Compounds and Veterinary Medicines (Exemptions and Prohibited Substances) Regulations 2011 – NZ Legislation

Exemption from registration

An exemption permits you to make, sell, use or import an agricultural compound without registration under the ACVM Act.

Exemptions are made by product type or group. They apply to groups that pose very little risk if the products are manufactured and used properly – such as animal feed. Exemption conditions minimise the risk.

It’s important to remember that exemption from registration does not mean exemption from regulation – ONCs must meet all applicable requirements under the ACVM Regulations before they can be imported, manufactured, sold, or used in New Zealand. To qualify for an exemption your ONC must:

be described by the Schedule 2 entry 22 in the ACVM regulations, and
meet the conditions of the exemption, and
comply with all applicable regulations.

In addition, if your ONC contains substances that aren't nutrients or feed additives (such as flavours and preservatives) they must be described in one of the other ACVM regulations Schedule 2 entries.

If your ONC contains a veterinary medicine registered under the ACVM Act it may still be exempt if it complies with all relevant requirements.

See the following document for more information:

Inclusion of a Registered Veterinary Medicine in an Oral Nutritional Compound Exempt from the Requirement for Registration [PDF, 214 KB]

When exemption doesn't apply

Your ONC won't be exempt from registration if it:

contains levels of nutrients greater than those required to deliver a nutritional benefit
makes therapeutic or pharmacological claims (such as "this product treats arthritis"),
has an unregistered veterinary medicine in a medicated feed, or
is an intraruminal bolus.

Your ONC also won't be exempt from registration if it contains a registered veterinary medicine and:

the medicine's use is not consistent with the registration, or
the medicine is not mixed in a way to ensure even distribution or efficacy while being stored.

In any of the above cases, it's likely your product will need to be registered as a veterinary medicine.

Calcium Supplements

Calcium supplements may be oral nutritional compounds exempt from the requirement for registration when they:

are not intended for use during pregnancy; and
are intended for any or all the following uses:
- Provision of calcium to animals when dietary sources are low or insufficient to meet an animal’s normal requirements to maintain normal calcium levels.
- Treatment or prevention of subclinical hypocalcaemia provided this is limited on-label to the provision of additional calcium in cases where dietary sources are low or insufficient to meet an animal’s normal requirements.
- Prevention of milk fever or clinical hypocalcaemia provided this is limited on-label to the provision of additional calcium in cases where dietary sources are low or insufficient to meet an animal’s normal requirements.

Calcium supplements will not be oral nutritional compounds exempt from the requirement for registration when they:

are intended for use during pregnancy; and/or
make claims for the following uses:
- Treatment or prevention of subclinical hypocalcaemia with no limitation.
- Prevention of milk fever or clinical hypocalcaemia with no limitation.
- Treatment of milk fever or clinical hypocalcaemia. This includes supplements with directions for use immediately after injectable calcium as this is still recognised as a therapeutic action.

Calcium supplements for use in ruminants that are not contained within a device when administered, and that release all active ingredient within 24 hours of administration are not intra-ruminal devices even if they have a bolus shape.

Find out about veterinary medicine registration under the ACVM Act 1997

Magnesium Supplements

Reports have been received in New Zealand of dairy cows developing Salmonellosis whilst being treated with insoluble and poorly soluble magnesium prill or granulated supplements. The following statement must therefore be provided with all such product when sold "The feeding of this product to dairy cows may increase their risk of clinical salmonellosis. It is recommended that veterinary advice is obtained to ascertain potential risks associated with the use of this product in your environment before product is used".

Magnesium supplementation in dairy cows [PDF, 198 KB]

Check if your product is exempt

A class determination is advice the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) can provide to help you determine if your product fits an exemption category and its conditions. Class determinations can also help facilitate importation at the border.

Find out about class determinations

Find out about the requirements that apply to you

Find out more about the requirements based on what you're doing:

Manufacturing pet food, animal feed, and nutritional supplements

Selling pet food, animal feed, and nutritional supplements

Using pet food, animal feed, and supplements

Importing pet food, animal feed, and supplements

Exporting pet food, animal feed, and supplements

Other requirements

Animal feeds and nutritional supplements may also have to comply with other legislation:

Pet food (i.e. animal feeds) for dogs and cats, that contains animal material or animal product has additional requirements under the Animal Products Act (APA) 1999.
Animal feed that has animal product ingredients must comply with APA requirements, as well as with the Biosecurity Act and Regulations.

Animal Products Act 1999 – NZ Legislation

Biosecurity Act 1993 – NZ Legislation

Biosecurity (Ruminant Protein) Regulations 1999 – NZ Legislation

There may also be requirements under the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act (HSNO) Act 1996.

Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996 – NZ Legislation

You should also ensure that there are no ACVM alerts that may relate to your ONC.

ACVM alerts and notifications