ORGANIC Livestock What You Need To Know Prepared by George Kuepper, Program Specialist The National Center for Appropriate Technology’s ATTRA Project © 2005

Highly Recommended: NCAT’s Organic Livestock Workbook For a Print Copy Call:

ORGANIC LIVESTOCK SYSTEMS: What Can Be Certified Traditional Land-Based Systems  Integrated “High Farming”  Grazing and Range Non-Land-Based Systems

AREAS OF CONSIDERATION FOR ORGANIC LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION Origin of Livestock [§ ] Livestock Feed [§ ] Living Conditions [§ ] Waste Management [§ (c)] Health Care [§ ] Record Keeping/Audit Trail [§ ]

ORIGIN OF LIVESTOCK NOP Policy April 11, 2003

Livestock Feed 100% Organic Feed Required  Exemption for distinct dairy herd conversion Feed Storage Must Ensure Organic Integrity Feed Processing Must Ensure Organic Integrity

Animal Drugs & Synthetic Hormones Plastic Pellets Urea Manure Slaughter By-Products Notes On: Feed Supplements & Additives  Excessive feeding levels prohibited  Sunset (10/21/05) provision for dl-methionine  Emergency provision for milk replacer Livestock Feed Prohibitions & Grey Areas

Livestock Living Conditions Must Accommodate Natural Behavior  Outdoor access  Fresh air & sunlight  Exercise areas Shelter  Must allow natural maintenance & behavior, exercise  Adequate temperatures, ventilation  Safety

Livestock Living Conditions continued Access To Pasture For Ruminants Adequate Bedding Required  Bedding must be organic if consumed Temporary Confinement For:  Inclement weather  Stage of production  Health & safety of animal  Risk to soil & water quality

Waste Management Part of Standard for Living Conditions Manure must be managed in a manner that does not contribute to contamination of crops, soil, or water by plant nutrients, heavy metals, or pathogenic organisms and optimizes recycling of nutrients [ (c)]

Livestock Species & Type Selection [§ (a)(1)] Adequate Nutrition [§ (a)(2)] Appropriate Housing, Pasture, & Sanitation [§ (a)(3)] Freedom of Movement; Stress Reduction [§ (a)(4)] Appropriate Low Stress Physical Alterations [§ (a)(5)] Vaccines & Veterinary Biologics [§ (a)(6)] Health Care for Organic Livestock Prevention

Natural Therapies (herbs, homeopathy, flower remedies, essential oils, acupuncture, radionics) Synthetic Medications on the National List at § [§ (b)] Nonsynthetic Pest Controls (traps, botanicals, biologicals, minerals) Synthetic Parasiticides on the National List at § [§ (b)] Health Care for Organic Livestock Therapies

Record Keeping & Audit Control Livestock Records To Keep  Verification of Organic status for new animals  Herd/flock health records  Vaccination & medication labels  Breeding records  Slaughter & processing records  Sales records Audit Control

Organic Pasture Integrity Issues Treated fence posts  Existing installations are allowed on land in transition  New installations are prohibited where they can contaminate forages and animals Conventional grazing animals  Allowed as long as the land is managed according to National Organic Program requirements for organic crop production and no contamination occurs

National Center for Appropriate Technology ATTRA (Appropriate Technology Transfer for Rural Areas) National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service