Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs)

What are they?

Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs) are widely used throughout Australia and the rest of the world, and are a group of veterinary drugs that mimic the hormones that influence cattle growth. Hormonal Growth Promotants (HGPs):

• May be natural or synthetic,
• Improve the rate of food conversion in cattle,
• Are implanted as a pellet under the skin of the ear,
• Contain an inert marker that makes them easier to find.

Cattle HGPs are small implants given in the ear which slowly dissolve to release hormone into the blood stream. They are widely used to improve both rate and efficiency of weight gain.

HGPs contain female hormones (such as oestradiol and progesterone) or male hormones (such as testosterone and trenbolone acetate) or a combination of both. Combination implants containing trenbolone acetate are referred to as "aggressive" implants as they generally further increase growth rate, feed efficiency and delay in fattening.

HGPs increase muscle growth, mature size and lean yield and tend to delay fat deposition. They do not improve meat quality. Aggressive implants and repeat usage have been shown to reduce tenderness and marbling and to increase dark cutting.

When do they work?

Best responses occur when cattle are already gaining good weight, for example, over 0.5 kg per day. Conversely, responses are poor under poor growth conditions. Proper application is also important.

Would you use them?

Some importing countries, like the EU, do not permit the use of HGPs in livestock.  Graziers and feedlotters should first check with regular cattle buyers for their requirements regarding HGP usage. If HGPs are used then the legal requirements must also be met.

How to use them?

Correct application is important for good results. Carefully follow instructions or check with product agents for best practice techniques. Common problems can be site infection with possible pellet loss and crushing pellets on application.  To help avoid abscess formation at site of implant, the surface of the ear should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before implantation.

How safe is it to eat meat from treated cattle?

Meat from treated cattle is safe to eat. The hormones in the beef are natural and are at much lower levels than in many other commonly consumed foods. For example, 200 mL of milk contains about 7 times the amount of oestrogen compared with 500 g of beef from HGP treated cattle; or 375 mL of beer 10 times; a hen egg 150 times or 10 mL of soybean oil 1800 times.

Overseas Markets and the Hormonal Growth Promotant Control System

Since 1988 when the European Union (EU) imposed a ban on the use of HGPs, all beef and beef products exported to this and other HGP sensitive markets, must come from cattle that have not been treated with HGPs during their lifetime. Strict enforcement of this ban has lead to Australia implementing a system on identification and legislative requirements that guarantees the beef products exported to these HGP sensitive markets are HGP free, whilst still allowing cattle producers the option of using HGPs on animals destined to other markets (eg. local markets).

The National Hormonal Growth Promotant Control System is a legislative system to enable producers to declare cattle eligible for HGP sensitive markets, and to monitor the sale and use of HGPs. This system has three separate parts, namely:

• The European Union Cattle Accredited Scheme - EUCAS (implemented followed EU supply requirement changes on 1 December 1999).
• HGP free system for Non - EU markets.
• HGP User system.

Each year, audits are conducted on HGP suppliers (retailers), producers who use HGPs and EUCAS accredited producer properties, by Biosecurity Queensland inspectors (QDPI&F) and Ausmeat inspectors (EUCAS). Failure to observe legal requirements can result in substantial fines.

Legal requirements for HGP Users

Producers who buy and use HGPs in their cattle must meet certain legal obligations. These conditions are in place to meet the requirements of some overseas markets.

If you use HGPs, you must:

• Complete a purchaser declaration for HGPs at point of sale and retain the duplicate copy.
• Ensure the HGPs are only used on the property listed in the declaration.
• Use only HGPs registered by the APVMA.
• Administer the HGPs (or HGP implant) strictly in accordance with label directions.
• Ensure implants are placed in the ear.
• Identify all implanted stock by placing an approved triangular ear mark wholly within the right (off side) ear at time of implant.
• Keep records of all animals treated (including HGP product and batch numbers used), date of treatment, number of HGP doses used, HGPs that have been lost or destroyed, and details of the disposal of HGP-treated cattle (for example waybills).
• Retain these records for at least two years after the HGP treatment day.
• Be able to distinguish between HGP-treated cattle and untreated cattle if both are kept on the same property.
• When selling HGP treated cattle, they must be declared as treated on the associated NVD waybill.

HGP treated stock must not be presented for sale as HGP free stock and, with the exception of a EUCAS approved feedlot, must never be included in any EUCAS accredited herd. Random audits are carried out on properties using HGPs to ensure the legal requirements are being met. Checks are also made at saleyards and abattoirs to ensure cattle treated with HGPs have been ear punched. Checks are also made that declared HGP free stock are NOT implanted.

Legal requirements for HGP Suppliers

Suppliers of HGPs also have legal obligations to meet. These legal requirements follow through the complete supply production of HGPs from manufacturer to importer, to supplier to final user.

Suppliers must:

• Currently have a notification number to supply HGPs, assigned by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA).
• Have obtained from the buyer a fully completed Point of Purchase Declaration before supplying HGPs to a property.
• Have recorded the required HGP sale information, including manufacturer and product details; APVMA number; Quantity and date of manufacturer; Batch Number; Name and address of recipient and Purchaser Declaration number.
• Supply a copy of records to the APVMA each month of HGP sales, and keep a copy of these records for 2 years.

Suppliers of HGPs are also randomly audited to ensure legal requirements are being adhered to.

EUCAS accredited producer requirements

Only properties accredited under EUCAS can supply cattle for the EU market. EUCAS is now administered nationwide by Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS). For information on EUCAS, follow the link at the bottom of this page to the AQIS website.  

HGP Free producer requirements (Non-EU markets)

Cattle targeted for HGP free markets (non EU) can only be declared HGP free if they have been bred on the property of origin and have never been treated, or if they are purchased stock, by having a declaration from the previous owner stating they have never been treated in their lives.

With purchased stock, this declaration of HGP freedom may be a fully completed National Vendor Declaration (NVD) or a Purchaser Invoice from the stock agent indicating that the cattle were HGP free, or a copy of the NVD with the HGP declaration completed.

Subsequently, producers selling HGP free cattle should complete the HGP question on a NVD (cattle) form, which declaration must be able to substantiate their HGP free status by either having bred the cattle and never treated them with HGPs, or keeping copies of HGP free declarations from previous owners of the cattle.

Any owner of cattle declared as HGP free and subsequently found with evidence of HGP implants faces prosecution with substantial fines imposed.

HGPs currently registered by the APVMA

Any veterinary chemical product containing a substance that is responsible for oestrogenic, androgenic or gestagenic activity to enhance growth or production in bovines or bubalines is regarded as a hormonal growth promotant.  Information on individual registered hormonal growth promotant products can be obtained by consulting the APVMA or Infopest.