La. Admin. Code tit. 7 § XXI-2103

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 11, November 20, 2024

Section XXI-2103 - General Standards that Apply to the Production of All Animals (Formerly Section 3103)

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.

La. Admin. Code tit. 7, § XXI-2103

Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Animal Health and Food Safety, Board of Animal Health, LR 39:3240 (December 2013), repromulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Animal Health and Food Safety and the Board of Animal Health, LR 40:985 (May 2014).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 3:2095.1.