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Category - Organic Livestock Certification Hub

Learn more about organic livestock certification and the resources you will need to be successful.

Articles

Organic Livestock Handling and Processing
A summary of livestock processing activities, such as transportation of live animals, the role of brokers, auction yards and slaughter facilities.
Recordkeeping for Livestock Operators
Common questions and a guide for major documentation requirements for livestock certification, including living conditions, audits, feed, animal health and materials.
Transitioning Livestock to Organic
Transitioning Livestock to Organic: What You Need To Know TLDR: You can transition a conventional dairy herd to organic one time only, with 365 days of continuous organic management. Poultry must be raised organically from day two of life. Slaughter stock and previously organic animals cannot be re-transitioned if organic status is lost. Your feed, … Continued
Calculating Dry Matter Intake
How to Calculate Dry Matter Intake (DMI) from Pasture for Organic Dairy Operations TLDR:Calculating Dry Matter Intake (DMI) from pasture is essential for organic dairy farms to meet USDA National Organic Program (NOP) requirements. Lactating dairy cows must get at least 30% of their DMI from pasture during the grazing season. This article explains how … Continued
Feed and Nutrition
A collection of requirements for feed and nutrition, including background on supplements and prohibited inputs.
Outdoor Access, Pasture and Grazing
What To Know About Outdoor Access, Pasture, and Grazing for Organic Livestock TLDR: Organic livestock must have year-round outdoor access, and ruminants must graze pasture during the grazing season, obtaining at least 30% of their dry matter intake (DMI) from grazing over a minimum of 120 days per year. Temporary confinement is allowed only for … Continued
Medicine and Health
Preventative Care, Medications, and Antibiotics in Organic Livestock Production TL;DR Organic livestock producers must use preventative health practices to keep animals healthy. Vaccines and veterinary biologics are allowed. Synthetic medications are only permitted after preventative care has failed and must be approved by Oregon Tilth. Antibiotics are strictly prohibited in organic production, but animals must … Continued
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