Farm Bureau Policy Development Fact Sheet No. 5 - 2012 POULTRY PROBLEMS AND ISSUES
FACING ANIMAL WELFARE CHALLENGES Over the past few years, Arkansas has faced a ballot initiative on animal cruelty and more recently, a restructuring of our state animal cruelty laws by the legislature. Farm Bureau leaders have developed an extensive policy position on the animal welfareanimal care issue. Related Policy: Animal care 145 1. Does Farm Bureau need to revisit our position on these matters? 2. In the interest of our state’s farm animal industries, what approach should be taken when companion animal owners are challenged?
CHICKEN LITTER AS A FEED SOURCE Recycled animal by-products, such as processed chicken manure and litter, has been used as a feed ingredient for many decades. This animal by-product contains large amounts of protein, fiber, and minerals, and has been deliberately mixed into animal feed for these nutrients. Generally, animal by-products are used where it is produced because the bulk and weight of the product makes interstate shipment uneconomical and during times of high feed costs. Normally, these animal by-products are used by small farmers and owners of beef and dairy herds as a winter supplement for mother cows and weaned calves. While the practice of feeding animal by-product to animals seems unpleasant, the use of this product is safe as long as it meets certain specifications required by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). AAFCO includes officials from all states and the federal government who are responsible for enforcing the laws regulating the production, labeling, distribution, and/or sale of animal feeds. One of AAFCO's main goals is to provide a mechanism for developing and implementing uniform and equitable laws, regulations, standards, definitions, and enforcement policies for animal feeds. AAFCO specifications require that processed animal byproducts not contain extraneous materials such as, but not limited to, metal, glass, nails or other harmful matter. They must be free of harmful pathogenic organisms, pesticide residues, parasites, or drug residues, above levels permitted by State or Federal statute or regulation, which could be harmful to animals or could result in residues in human food products or by-products of animals at levels in excess of those allowed by state or federal statute or regulation. AAFCO requires that any person registering any processed animal waste product test, by representative sampling and assaying of such samples, keep accurate records of the processed animal waste product.
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Are you currently using litter as a feed source, and if so, what guidelines are are you using to mix ration? Does Farm Bureau need policy to address the use of litter as a feed source?
BRUCELLOSIS – FUNDING ANIMAL HEALTH PROGRAMS The overall profile of Arkansas’ efforts toward controlling and/or eliminating animal diseases may be ripe for revision --- or, at least, subject to reasoned scrutiny. Arkansas Livestock and Poultry Commission is the agency in charge of implementing the state’s animal health programs and regulations. Various issues that face Arkansas’ cattle industry and the L&PC are presented below. The Brucellosis Program: Arkansas achieved Class Free status in 1997. The program currently consists of market surveillance (testing adult cows at markets) and requiring calfhood vaccination on all eligible heifers sold at markets and returning to Arkansas farms. Both L&PC personnel and private veterinarians provide vaccination services. As of now, Arkansas is the only state that is requiring cows to be tested at markets. We, too, are the only state that has a requirement on calfhood vaccination. Our current program is primarily supported by the $1 per-head fee on all cattle sold. Both state and federal funds, that were once available for this program, have been severely lowered or eliminated. Also, the $1 fee is generating less revenue due to a somewhat smaller cattle inventory in the state and a higher number of Arkansas cattle being sold directly in other states; therefore, avoiding the fee. Related Policy: Beef cattle 115, Livestock and Poultry Health N-308 1. 2. 3.
Should Arkansas consider changes to its brucellosis program? What level of testing is needed for cows in commerce? At what level should calfhood vaccination be available to producers?
Future Structure and Funding for Arkansas’ Animal Health Programs: Given the discussion points above (and any others that may arise), a basic consideration is adequate funding for the L&PC to implement its animal health mission. With the current level of funding support, a reduction in programs and services may be required in the near future. Reduced expenditures on the brucellosis program may be in order from a disease control standpoint and would allow the agency to cope with its existing budget; however, it would require fewer personnel available to monitor cattle moving through markets. These same personnel may be needed to implement the Animal Disease Traceability Program when it becomes effective and to continue calfhood vaccination and other livestock industry services. Related Policy: Beef cattle 115, Livestock and Poultry Commission 138 1.
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Is it important that the L&PC maintain a field force to engage in providing animal health services and monitoring the health status of cattle moving through markets? Should the state’s animal health programs be provided by the L&PC and funded with an “animal health” fee? … Or should these programs shift toward a
separate fee structure for each service provided by markets and their veterinarians? How should the situation be handled whereby cattle producers receive on-farm vaccination and other services; yet, by selling their animals out-of-state, do not contribute to funding the agency?
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OTHER ISSUES
Poultry Protection Act Poultry diseases CAFO education Producer out-time
[Should you need further information on these or other issues concerning the poultry industry or desire assistance with your county policy development meetings contact Bruce Tencleve, Poultry Division Coordinator, at 501-228-1856 or via e-mail at bruce.tencleve@arfb.com.]