ATTRA Publications on Sustainable Agriculture Tipsheet: Treatment of Sick or Injured Organic Livestock

To comply with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic regulations, livestock producers must establish and maintain preventive livestock health care practices (see Organic Approach to Animal Health tipsheet). The National Organic Program (NOP) regulations regarding these practices are found in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), specifically in 7 CFR §205.238(a). However, despite the best efforts of producers to encourage health, some animals will become ill or may be injured. These situations are covered by §205.238(b), and are the subject of this tipsheet.

The regulations [§205.238(b)] include the following provisions:

• Use of specified synthetic medications is allowed under §205.603—Synthetic substances allowed for use in organic livestock production (part of the National List of Allowed and Prohibited Substances.
• Parasiticides [§205.603(a)(18)] may NOT be used on organic slaughter stock
• Parasiticides that are included on the National List may be used as allowed on:
  • Breeding stock, prior to the last third of gestation, but not during lactation if progeny are to be sold as organically produced
  • Dairy stock, when used a minimum of 90 days prior to production of organic milk
• Organic producers may NOT, according to regulations [§205.238(c)]:
  • Sell as organic any animal or animal product from an animal treated with antibiotics or some other prohibited substance (see [§205.604])
  • Administer any drug, other than vaccinations, in the absence of illness
  • Administer hormones for growth promotion
  • Administer parasiticides on a routine basis