La. Admin. Code tit. 7 § XXI-2109

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

Section XXI-2109 - Poultry (Formerly Section 3113)

A. Housing and Environment

1. Any facilities in which poultry are housed shall provide shelter so as to minimize the compromise to poultry health from heat, cold, adverse weather, and predation.

2. All (commercial) facilities in which poultry are housed shall be maintained so as to limit the exposure of feeding and watering devices and poultry to feces and urine.

3. All facilities in which poultry are maintained shall be designed, lighted, and stocked so as to allow visual inspections of poultry at any point in time.

4. Natural or artificial lighting mimicking the intensity and duration of daylight shall be provided, or other artificial lighting program exceeding this shall be provided, except as necessary for animal husbandry practices or introduction of new poultry. Any change in artificial lighting program shall be introduced gradually so as to prevent distress of poultry.

5. Stocking density shall follow NCC guidelines of pounds per square foot for commercial enterprises and for backyard flocks and shall not exceed that which does not allow all poultry to lie down simultaneously without being forced to lie on top of other poultry. Environmental moisture and dust shall be minimized in order to prevent the spread of infectious disease or compromise the health, care, and well-being of poultry.

6. Environmental temperature shall be controlled at a level that minimizes heat stress or cold stress to the poultry.

7. The following are acceptable housing systems.

a. Cages (Conventional and Enriched)

i. Cages shall be arranged so as to protect exposure of poultry in one cage from feces or urine from poultry in any other cage.

ii. Maximum slope for any cage shall be designed to support forward facing claws.

b. Barns/Aviaries

i. Flooring shall be such that minimizes claw injuries to birds.

ii. Flooring shall be designed so as to support forward facing claws.

iii. Perches shall be designed so as to minimize injury to the poultry.

c. Free Range

i. For those facilities with an indoor and outdoor component, openings shall be designed so as to facilitate movement of the poultry in a manner that minimizes injury and death to the poultry.

B. Nutrition and Water

1. All poultry shall be provided sufficient food daily so as to maintain good health, meet their physiological requirements, and minimize nutritional or metabolic disease (see exceptions).

2. All poultry shall have continual access to water so as to maintain adequate hydration (see exceptions).

3. All food and water shall be provided in means that minimize aggression or competition.

4. Any mechanical devices used to deliver feed or water shall be kept clean so as to minimize the spread of infectious disease and shall be regularly inspected to ensure proper function.

5. Poultry shall be regularly monitored, and those found not to be consuming adequate food or water shall be removed and either raised alternatively or euthanized.

6. Exception. Food and water may be temporarily withheld up to 48 hours as prescribed by the NCC, allowing for five days feed, and two skipped days, along with limitation of water when handling, performing management practices, treating, transporting, or depopulating poultry.

C. Health and Veterinary Care

1. Disabled poultry shall be removed from their environment in a timely fashion to minimize compromise to their health and have remedial action taken, including euthanasia.

2. Any dead poultry shall be removed from any facilities and disposed of according to LDAF protocols so as to minimize the spread of infectious disease between poultry and so as to minimize pests.

D. Handling

1. Poultry shall be caught and handled so as to minimize stress, risk of injury, and risk of exhaustion.

a. Poultry shall never be picked up by a single wing.

2. Only the minimum force necessary shall be used to move or restrain poultry.

3. All equipment used to move or restrain poultry shall be designed and maintained so as to minimize stress, risk of injury, risk of exhaustion, risk of heat stress.

4. Poultry that are seriously injured during handling (such as, but not limited to, broken legs) shall have remedial action taken, including euthanasia.

E. Hatching, and Chick/Poult Management

1. All chicks/poults shall have access to adequate nutrition and water within 48 hours of hatching or have other remedial action taken.

2. Environmental temperature control and air flow control shall be present before arrival of new chicks/poults into an area and maintained for newly placed chicks/poults so as to support normal body temperature and minimize health compromise.

F. Animal Husbandry Procedures

1. Certain animal husbandry procedures include, but are not limited to, beak trimming, male claw removal, and dubbing.

a. Animal husbandry procedures shall be performed at an age and physiologic state so as to minimize pain and distress.

i. Beak trimming shall be performed by or before 10 days of age.

ii. Male claw removal and dubbing (in commercial operations) shall be performed by or before 3 days of age.

b. Necessary stressful procedures include induced molting.

i. Induced molting shall be performed and birds sufficiently supervised to prevent health compromise, weight loss, and flock mortality.

G. Transportation

1. Transportation by land shall:

a. have stocking density that allows all poultry to lie down simultaneously without being forced to lie on top of other poultry;

b. have transportation vehicle design, maintenance, arrangement of poultry, and time of transport to minimize injury, distress, or death to the poultry;

c. have vehicle transporting poultry designed to provide adequate ventilation to minimize injury, distress, heat or cold stress, or death to the poultry;

d. have crates or other devices used to transport poultry designed to minimize injury and movement must allow poultry to rapidly reposition in an upright position.

H. On-Farm Euthanasia

1. The following methods of euthanasia shall be approved for on-farm use:

a. carbon dioxide;

b. cervical dislocation;

c. cecapitation;

d. water based foam for mass euthanasia;

e. instantaneous fragmentation may be used for one day old chicks and poults, and for pipped and embyonated eggs. Sufficient flow to and through the instantaneous fragmentation device shall prevent backlog at the point of entry to the device;

f. barbiturate overdose is an acceptable form of euthanasia administered by a licensed veterinarian or other licensed professional.

2. The carcasses of all poultry shall be disposed of in a sanitary manner by cremation or burial of at least six feet according to RS 3:2131 or by following LAC 7:XXI.Chapter 7, Sanitary Disposal of Dead Poultry.

La. Admin. Code tit. 7, § XXI-2109

Promulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Animal Health and Food Safety, Board of Animal Health, LR 39:3243 (December 2013), repromulgated by the Department of Agriculture and Forestry, Office of Animal Health and Food Safety and the Board of Animal Health, LR 40:988 (May 2014).

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