The risks from using sheep to pluck grape vine leaves
Vineyards commonly use sheep for leaf-plucking, but there are risks associated with the practice. These are to do with residues from the chemicals sprayed in vineyards showing up in food products derived from sheep.
Meat from sheep used in vineyards for leaf plucking will need to meet maximum residue levels or maximum permissible levels for agricultural chemical residues.
Sheep used for leaf plucking could affect our export trade
In addition, many of our trading partners have "no detectable residues" as their testing limit. This means that if any trace was found in food products derived from sheep exported to that country, they might close their market to New Zealand.
Who's legally responsible?
Graziers and farmers are legally responsible for:
- the health and welfare of sheep used for leaf-plucking
- any residues found in their meat.
Primary processors are legally responsible for ensuring all animals accepted for processing are accompanied or covered by a properly completed supplier declaration which confirms that the animals are suitable for processing.
What you need to do
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) asks farmers, graziers, and vineyard owners and operators to communicate with each other and take a cautious and responsible approach.
Recommended actions for graziers
- Identify all sheep used for leaf-plucking.
- Ask the vineyard owner or operator for information about agricultural chemicals used in the vineyard.
- Keep these sheep on clean feed for the time period stated on the product label for leaf plucking, after removal from the vineyard, and before animals are slaughtered (or milked). This is usually either 2 or 6 months.
'Clean feed' is feed that has no residues present, usually because it has not been treated with or exposed to agricultural chemicals, or because it complies with the approved withholding period (WHP) for that feed crop on the labels of any agricultural chemicals used.
Recommened actions for vineyard owners and operators
- Keep spray diaries to provide a way of tracing, in case there is ever a residue issue.
- Tell the grazier which agricultural chemicals were used on the vineyard, and how long the grazier will need to keep the sheep on clean feed before slaughter or milking.
Find out about maximum residue levels in New Zealand
