Resources

1. Custom Slaughter/Processing Custom mobile units have been permitted in the past in New York. However, unless animals are being processed the same day that they are field harvested, or the farm has its own cooler facilities for hanging carcasses, the mobile units may actually result in more back and forth transportation than a stationary plant.…

One of the largest areas of growth in on-farm processing and sales has been in the production of pastured poultry. Pastured poultry is a production model where broiler chickens are raised predominantly on pasture in some form of movable structure. Due to the relatively small numbers of birds per farm and the seasonality of this…

The Poultry Products Inspection Act (PPIA) outlines the legal conditions under which amenable poultry must be slaughtered and processed. Amenable poultry species include chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guineas, ratites (ostrich, emu, and rhea), and squabs (pigeons up to one month old). At minimum, states must conform to these federal requirements. However, states can put in…

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 “exotic” animals and birds are considered “non-amenable.” However, the Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 does provide for the voluntary inspection of game animals and birds…

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, beef, goat, and hog. This is the “custom exemption” which allows the owner of an animal to slaughter the animal himself/herself or deliver it to…

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 from herd-to-herd and animal-to-animal, because of the animal’s genetics, diet, and the varied geographical locations in which they are raised. When the age of an…

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 maintain records on all animals for pertinent production parameters, vaccinations given, and any other drug treatments. Health treatment records are necessary to prevent the harvest…

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. Through effective recordkeeping, producers can strengthen consumer confidence by demonstrating tight control over potential risk factors. Recordkeeping also provides a tool for producers to monitor…

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 if the farmer is having the animals processed at a USDA inspected establishment, the livestock must be presented alive for USDA inspection. Animals entering the…

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 coming off lush pastures will show live weight losses shortly after being taken off feed because the feed passes through them faster than dried forages…