Resources

The handling of game animals such as bison, deer, rabbits, pheasants, etc. is not covered by either the Federal Meat Inspection Act or the Poultry Products Inspection Act. Thus, these […]

1. Selling the Live Animal Directly to Consumers as “Freezer Meat” Under the Custom Exemption There is a very important exemption from federal inspection for livestock producers that market freezer lamb, […]

Dentition is the development of teeth and their arrangement in the mouth.91 For many years, producers, veterinarians, and exhibitors have used dentition to make general age determinations. Dentition will vary […]

Regardless of the production methods incorporated on a facility, records of all drugs used including immunizations, anthelmintics (dewormers), antibiotics, implants, etc. should be recorded. Farmers are encouraged to keep and […]

Records are essential when raising animals for food production. To ensure consumer confidence and maintain the marketability of meat products, livestock owners need to document the safety of their product. […]

Non-amenable animal species that are difficult to load, transport and handle can be killed directly on-farm. This is typically limited to buffalo, bison and some cervids (deer and elk). However […]

Shrinkage or shrink refers to the amount of live weight an animal loses from the time the animal is gathered for transport to the slaughterhouse until it is slaughtered. Livestock […]

Regulations require livestock to have access to water at all times. If animals are held longer than 24 hours, animals must have access to feed that is appropriate for the […]

Some farmers actively engage in transporting animals for other farmers and for their customer. If the animal is purchased by the farmer-transporter a domestic animal health permit will be required, […]

The number of animals that can be humanely transported in a given trailer depends on several factors.81 More space is required per animal during hot weather as compared to cold […]