Fact sheet from WSDA outlining the preventative practices organic producers can use to avoid livestock health care problems.
Organic Livestock
Preventative Practices
O rg a n i c C e rt i f i c a t i o n F a c t S h e e t
Preventative practices are techniques farmers use to avoid livestock health care problems. The
organic regulations highlight many commonly used preventative practices including observation
of animals, providing appropriate pasture and housing conditions, and recording instances of
preventative treatments. Ideally, these practices will prevent or minimize the severity of an illness
or infection.
7CFR §205.238 – The USDA organic regulations require that livestock producers use a
multi-step approach in dealing with health care issues. An organic producer must be able
to demonstrate through records and observable practices that preventative practices
were established and maintained prior to the use of any approved materials to treat livestock health care issues.
Step 1 — Prevention
Prevention of a health care issue through a selection of species, adequate nutrition, appropriate
housing, pasture conditions (if applicable), sanitation, physical alterations, freedom of
movement/exercise, stress minimization and administration of vaccines and other biologics.
Step 2 — Approved Materials
When preventative practices and veterinary biologics are inadequate to prevent sickness, a
producer may administer synthetic medications, provided they are allowed on the National List
(§205.603).
Step 3 — Prohibited Materials
When approved treatments, including allowed synthetic medications, are inadequate to treat an
illness or health condition, a producer may choose to treat animal with a prohibited material.
Livestock treated with a prohibited substance must be clearly identified and shall not be sold,
labeled, or represented as organically produced.
Organic livestock operations must not withhold treatment from a sick animal to preserve
its organic status. All appropriate medications must be used to restore an animal to health
when methods acceptable to organic production fail.
Recordkeeping
Your records should be adapted to meet the needs of your particular business and therefore vary
based on the complexity and scale of your farm. Health care treatment records must indicate the
specific animal treated, the date of treatment, and the complete brand name of the health care
product administered. A wall calendar or simple notebook may help ensure your records are
kept consistently and offer traceability of all activities.
AGR 3024 – Updated August 2020
Organic Livestock Preventative Practices
Page 2
Preventative pest and disease control measures may include:
Facilities and Environment:
Biosecurity measures such as boot washing
Facility control of vector animals like flies
and rodents
Appropriate ventilation with control of dust
and ammonia levels
Sanitation of milking and surgical equipment
Sanitary bedding, feeding, and loafing areas
Quarantine of newly purchased, injured, or
diseased animals
Maintaining an appropriate herd size or a
closed herd
Pastures and Outdoor Areas:
Pasture and grazing management
Multi-species grazing
Appropriate stocking density
Adequate shelter, shade, and room for
exercise
Encouraging natural fly predators (bats,
predatory wasps, etc.)
Clean drinking water source
Livestock Management:
Selection of species, breed, and genetics
Regular herd checks and veterinarian visits
Adequate nutrition and mineral
supplementation
Routine hoof trimming
Vaccines and biologics
Low-stress handling
Pre and post milking protocols for teat health
Monitoring for signs of parasites (fecal
sampling)
Additional Resources
ATTRA NCAT Tipsheet: Treatment of Sick or Injured Organic Livestock
https://attra.ncat.org/product/tipsheet-treatment-of-sick-or-injured-organic-livestock/
ATTRA NCAT Tipsheet: Organic Approach to Animal Health
https://attra.ncat.org/product/tipsheet-organic-approach-to-animal-health
USDA Guide for Organic Livestock Producers
https://www.ams.usda.gov/sites/default/files/media/GuideForOrganicLivestockProducers.pdf
WSDA Organic Program
PO Box 42560 | Olympia WA 98504-2560
(360) 902-1805 | organic@agr.wa.gov
https://agr.wa.gov/organic
AGR 3024 – Updated August 2020
All Regions
External Link
4600, 4600, 3024_Livestock_PP.pdf, 3024_Livestock_PP.pdf, 538915, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/3024_Livestock_PP.pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/resource/organci-livestock-preventative-practices/3024_livestock_pp-pdf/, , 1, , , 3024_livestock_pp-pdf, inherit, 4086, 2024-01-08 17:12:39, 2024-01-08 17:12:39, 0, application/pdf, application, pdf, https://cms.organictransition.org/wp-includes/images/media/document.png
https://cms.agr.wa.gov/WSDAKentico/Documents/FSCS/Organic/Pubs_organic/3024_Livestock_PP.pdf