Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 3, March 20, 2024
A.
Producer or person in charge of animals shall ensure that a sufficient level of
animal health and animal care and well-being is maintained for the livestock.
1. Livestock personnel shall have the proper
level of knowledge, ability, and competency to maintain the health and care and
well-being of livestock as specified in this Code.
2. Livestock shall be inspected as determined
by livestock personnel based on their age and physiologic state to ensure they
remain healthy and to allow for timely remedial action for those livestock
found to be diseased or distressed.
B. Exceptions
1. Any standard in this code may be excepted
by or under the advice of a licensed veterinarian as required for the
prevention, diagnosis, management, treatment, or control of disease or
injury.
2. Any standard in this
code may be excepted during a declared disaster, foreign animal disease
outbreak, or other exceptional circumstance as deemed necessary by
LDAF.
3. Any standards in this code
may be excepted by LDAF as deemed necessary to promote animal health or care,
human health, agriculture, food safety, or other compelling need of the people
or resources of the state of Louisiana.
C. Housing
1. Shelter as defined in this document may be
a necessary requirement for livestock. All facilities in which livestock are
maintained shall be kept clean and ventilated so as to minimize injury or pain
caused by noxious gases. All facilities in which livestock are maintained shall
be constructed and maintained so as to minimize disease and injury to
animals.
2. All facilities in which
livestock are maintained shall be constructed and maintained so as to securely
contain the livestock within.
3.
Livestock shall be able to lie down and rest comfortably so as to meet their
behavioral needs for rest.
4. For
livestock housed in an indoor facility with concrete floor, dry bedding shall
be provided for the comfort and warmth of the livestock.
D. Nutrition and Water
1. All livestock shall be provided sufficient
food to maintain good health, meet their physiological requirements, and
minimize nutritional or metabolic disease.
2. All livestock shall have access to water,
including ponds, so as to maintain adequate hydration.
3. Nutritional standards for livestock may
vary with level of activity, pregnancy/nursing status, age, or medical status;
veterinary or nutritional consultation may be required to establish these
standards.
4. Exception. Food and
water may be temporarily withheld when handling, treating, or transporting
livestock.
E. Health and
Veterinary Care
1. All producers shall
develop and implement an animal care and well-being plan to promote the health
of the livestock.
2. Livestock
shall be monitored regularly as determined by producers and livestock personnel
so signs of injury or disease are identified in a timely fashion.
3. Producers shall treat signs of injury or
disease in a timely manner to prevent or control compromised health of cattle.
a. Producers shall determine when a licensed
veterinarian shall be consulted in the diagnosis, treatment, management, and
prevention of injury or disease as necessary to minimize pain and distress of
livestock.
4. Livestock
other than dairy cattle with a body condition score less than three, and dairy
cattle with a BCS less than two shall receive prompt care and/or treatment (see
BCS charts below).
5. Livestock
suffering from severe lameness shall receive prompt remedial action.
6. Livestock suffering from extreme pain or
distress shall be examined by a licensed veterinarian or properly euthanized in
a timely fashion as to minimize pain and distress.
7. Non-ambulatory livestock may be moved in
the most effective manner deemed necessary by the producer or person in
charge.
F. Parturition
Management
1. Livestock observed to have
vigorous straining and/or abdominal contractions while giving birth without
progress shall have remedial action taken.
2. No motor vehicle shall be used to provide
traction to assist parturition.
G. Sanitation
1. All facilities in which livestock are
maintained shall be kept clean so as to minimize the spread of infectious
disease to animals.
2. All
facilities in which livestock are maintained shall have pest control so as to
minimize the spread of infectious disease to animals.
3. All equipment used in managing livestock
shall be kept clean so as to minimize the spread of infectious disease to
livestock and to minimize pain.
4.
All personnel shall maintain adequate biosecurity in facilities to minimize the
spread of infectious disease to livestock.
H. Handling
1. Livestock shall be handled in a manner so
as to minimize stress, risk of injury, and risk of exhaustion or heat stress to
the livestock.
2. Only the minimum
force necessary shall be used to move or restrain livestock.
3. Handling of livestock shall be performed
with knowledge of the point of balance and flight zone when possible.
4. All facilities used to move or restrain
livestock shall be designed and maintained so as to minimize stress, risk of
injury, risk of exhaustion, risk of heat stress and shall allow livestock to be
released rapidly if necessary.
5.
Electric prodders shall not be used in the most sensitive areas of livestock:
udder, eyes, nose, anus, prepuce, vulva, or testicles.
6. Livestock physically restrained in
handling facilities shall be supervised at all times.
7. Electro-immobilization shall not be an
acceptable handling technique for livestock.
I. Animal Husbandry Procedures
1. Certain animal husbandry procedures shall
be performed only as necessary to protect animal and human health, allow animal
management and production, and allow product attributes.
a. Necessary animal husbandry procedures
include, but are not limited to: castration, disbudding, dehorning, branding,
tattooing, and ear tagging.
2. Animal husbandry procedures shall only be
performed by personnel with sufficient knowledge to minimize pain and
distress.
3. Animal husbandry
procedures shall be performed in a timely manner and physiologic state so as to
minimize pain and distress.
J. Selection for Transport
1. Livestock transported for any reason shall
be ambulatory at the time of loading.
2. Exception shall be when livestock need to
be transported on-farm, farm-to-farm, or for veterinary care.
K. Transportation by land shall:
1. be loaded and unloaded in a manner and
with proper equipment and personnel so as to minimize stress and injury. Have
sufficient headroom so as to not come into contact with the roof of the vehicle
in a normal standing position;
2.
transportation vehicle shall:
a. have floors
that are constructed and kept clean so as to minimize the slipping and falling
of livestock; and Be constructed to allow visual inspection of all livestock
during transport; and
b. be
constructed to allow ventilation and protection in order to minimize the
harmful effects of weather and climate;
3. livestock shall be segregated into groups
based on age, size, and other attributes so as to minimize injury, distress,
and conspecific aggression;
4.
livestock shall be loaded at a density that minimizes injury and falling, but
that allows animals to rise unassisted if fallen;
5. livestock shall be transported as quickly
as possible to their final destination and transported to their final
destination directly when possible;
6. pursuant to 49 USC §80502, the
transportation of livestock shall be planned so that animals are unloaded and
provided rest, water, and feed on travel more than 28 hours.
L. On-Farm Euthanasia
1. Livestock shall be euthanized in a method
that results in rapid loss of consciousness and animals must remain insensible
until death. The following methods of euthanasia are approved for on farm use:
a. captive bolt or rifle shot of at least .22
caliber administered so as to disrupt the cerebral cortex and brainstem;
and
b. barbiturate overdose
administered by a licensed veterinarian or other licensed
professional.
2. The
carcass of any livestock euthanized shall be disposed of in a manner as to
prevent the spread of infectious disease or if euthanized by barbiturate
overdose to prevent other animal exposure to the carcass.
3. The carcasses of all livestock shall be
disposed of in a sanitary manner by cremation or burial of at least 6 feet
according to
R.S.
3:2131.
M. Body condition scoring for livestock is
intended to be used as a practical guideline by which producers can measure
animal care and well-being based on the animal's physical appearance as
determined in the charts below.
1. Body
Condition Scoring for Livestock Other than Dairy Cattle
|
Score
|
Description
|
|
1. Poor
|
Severely emaciated; no fatty tissue; vertebrae, ribs,
tail head, and bones of withers, shoulder, and neck are visible All rib and
bone structures easily visible. No fat over backbone, edge of loin, hip bones,
or ribs. Tailhead and ribs project prominently. Animal has difficulty standing
or walking.
|
|
2. Emaciated
|
Appears emaciated but tailhead and ribs are less
prominent. Individual spinous processes are sharp to touch, but some tissue
exists along the spine. Animal not weak, but no fat detectable.
|
|
3. Very Thin
|
Ribs are individually identifiable, but not sharply.
No fat on ribs, brisket, spine or over tailhead. Individual hindquarter muscles
easily visible, spinous processes apparent.
|
|
4. Thin
|
Individual ribs are not visibly apparent except the
last two ribs. Backbone can be identified with slight pressure; individual
spinous processes are rounded rather than sharp. Individual muscles in the
hindquarter are apparent, but the quarter is straight.
|
|
5. Moderate
|
Good overall appearance. The last two ribs are not
visible but can be easily felt. Hindquarter individual muscles are not
apparent. Areas on either side of the tail head are filled and fat cover is
palpable.
|
|
6. High Moderate
|
Good smooth appearance throughout. Ribs are not
visible and are fully covered. Some fat deposition in the brisket. Spongy fat
on ribs and pin bones and sides of tailhead. Firm pressure is needed to feel
the spinous processes.
|
|
7. Good
|
Livestock appear fleshy and obviously carry
considerable fat. Brisket is full.
Tailhead and pin bones have protruding fat deposits.
Back appears square.
|
|
8. Obese
|
Protruding fat deposits on tailhead and pin bones.
Spinous processes almost impossible to feel. Brisket is distended and neck is
thick.
|
|
9. Very Obese
|
The body has lost definition and contours disappear
across back and sides as animal takes on a block-like smooth appearance.
Tailhead and hips buried in fat deposits. Bony structures no longer visible or
palpable.
|
2.
Body Condition Scoring for Dairy Cattle
|
Score
|
Description
|
|
1. Emaciated
|
Deep cavity around tailhead. Bones of pelvis and
short ribs are easily felt. No fatty tissue in pelvic or loin area. Deep
depression in loins.
|
|
2. Thin
|
Shallow cavity around tailhead with some fatty tissue
lining it and covering pin bones. Pelvis easily felt. Ends of short ribs feel
rounded and upper surfaces can be felt with slight pressure. Depression viable
in loin area.
|
|
3. Ideal
|
No cavity around tailhead and fatty tissue easily
felt over entire area. Pelvis felt with slight pressure. Thick layer of tissue
covering top of short ribs which is felt with pressure. Slight depression over
loin area.
|
|
4. Fat
|
Fold of fatty tissue around tailhead with patches of
fat covering pin bones.
Short ribs cannot be felt. No depression in loin
area.
|
|
5. Obese
|
Tailhead buried in thick layer of fatty tissue.
Pelvic bones cannot be felt with firm pressure. Short ribs covered with thick
layer of fatty tissue.
|
AUTHORITY NOTE:
Promulgated in accordance with
R.S.
3:2095.1.
