State and industry biosecurity guidelines generally require withholding periods (generally 21 days) following the application of spent litter and composted litter prior to grazing and crop production. Spent litter containing dead chickens or parts of chickens should not be spread on pastures used for grazing. This is to ensure that dead chickens or feathers are not eaten by stock, due to the risk of botulism. Botulism occurs in animals that ingest the neurotoxin produced by the growth of the organism Clostridium botulinum, which can occur if chickens are left to decay anaerobically. Clostridium botulinum is a serious animal and food-borne pathogen, with affected stock becoming paralysed and usually dying.

State and industry biosecurity guidelines require withholding periods (generally 21 days) following the application of spent litter and composted litter prior to grazing and crop production. Spent litter containing dead chickens or parts of chickens should not be spread on pastures used for grazing to ensure that dead chickens or feathers are not eaten by stock, due to the risk of botulism.

Spent litter is also likely to contain waste poultry feed that often has restricted animal material (RAM), i.e. meat meal, as an ingredient. In Australia, it is illegal to feed animal-derived meal to ruminants or allow them access to it. This is to reduce the risk of spreading exotic animal diseases, such as Bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). Thus, livestock must not be allowed access to spent litter. Spent litter may also contain dead chickens or feathers and must not eaten by stock due to the risk of botulism.

Livestock must not be fed or have access to spent litter, whether raw or composted. Ruminants are not allowed access to restricted animal material (RAM), i.e. meat meal, that could be in the litter from spilt feed. Botulism toxins from poultry carcasses that may have decomposed anaerobically in the litter also pose a risk to livestock.

Limitations also exist in Western Australia regarding the use of raw spent litter, due to problems with stable fly breeding (see Flies and the Pest management guide). Consequently, composting or transport to regions where untreated spent litter can be used is required. This affects several shires and city councils on the Swan Coastal plain, from Gingin to Harvey.