Organics

Organic agriculture has increased by over 250 percent in the past decade. Dairy production is it’s second largest sector and the number of organically raised cows has increased from 38,000 to almost 250,000 between 2002 and 2011 (NASS, 2012). In the United States, accredited third party certifiers audit farmers to ensure that management practices meet the standards of the National Organic Program (NOP) of the USDA-AMS.

The corner stone of organic farming is disease prevention and so the use of vaccines as well as mineral and vitamin supplementation are allowed. In contrast, antibiotics and hormones (exception Oxytocine) are generally prohibited in organic livestock production. The NOP lists all allowable synthetic treatments (§205.603 of the NOP) for organic livestock. (See below)

Ongoing research projects will provide additional information about best preventative management practices and curative approaches within the NOP and FDA guidelines.

Online Resources

Articles

Online Articles

Parasites and parasite management practices of organic and conventional dairy herds in Minnesota
J Dairy Sci on 05/01/2015, by Sorge U1, Moon R2, Stromberg B3, Schroth S4, Michels L4, Wolff L4, Kelton D5, Heins B6

Management practices on organic and conventional dairy herds in Minnesota
J Dairy Sci on 01/28/2016, by Sorge US1, Moon R2, Wolff LJ3, Michels L3, Schroth S3, Kelton DF4, Heins B5

Documents

Organic Dairy Survey for Benchmarking

Links

http://www.acresusa.com/

http://www.nodpa.com/

http://mosesorganic.org/

http://eorganic.info/

http://www.extension.org/organic_production

http://www.extension.org/pages/59461/organic-dairy-production-systems#.VT6yMvCLWVM

Organic Therapies

This is a list of allowable synthetic substances from the National Organic Program. Please note that this list is not a veterinary-client relationship, veterinary advise or prescription. All therapies should only be used under veterinary guidance and after checking with the farm's organic certifier whether their use is permissible on that farm.

Disinfectants

Substance	NOP Remarks
Ethanol	- disinfectant and sanitizer only, prohibited as a feed additive
Isopropanol	- disinfectant only
Calcium hypochlorite Chlorine dioxide Sodium hypochlorite	- all chlorine materials allowed for disinfecting and sanitizing facilities and equipment. Residual chlorine levels in the water shall not exceed the maximum residual disinfectant limit under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Chlorhexidine	- allowed for surgical procedures conducted by a veterinarian. Allowed for use as a teat dip when alternative germicidal agents and/or physical barriers have lost their effectiveness
Copper sulfate
Formic acid	- for use as a pesticide solely within honeybee hives
Iodine
Peroxyacetic/peracetic acid	- for sanitizing facility and processing equipment
Phosphoric acid	- equipment cleaner, Provided, that no direct contact with organically managed livestock or land occurs

Parasiticides

"Parasiticides—Prohibited in slaughter stock (ie., animals can never be organically sold meat after treatment), allowed in emergency treatment for dairy and breeder stock when organic system plan-approved preventive management does not prevent infestation. Milk or milk products from a treated animal cannot be labeled as provided for in subpart D of this part for 90 days following treatment. In breeder stock, treatment cannot occur during the last third of gestation if the progeny will be sold as organic and must not be used during the lactation period for breeding stock." National Organic Program, 2015

Drug	Additional NOP Remark
Fenbendazole	- only for use by or on the lawful written order of a licensed veterinarian
Ivermectin
Moxidectin	- for control of internal parasites only

Pain Medication

Drug	Usage	Indication	Withdrawal Times
			Milk		Meat
			NOP	FARAD	NOP	FARAD
Aspirin (oral)	OTC		24 h	NL	24 h	NL
Lidocaine	Rx, ELDU	as local anesthetic	7d	Epid.: 24h SQ: 72h	90d	Epid: 1d SQ: 72h
Flunixin (Meglumine) I.V.	Rx	in accordance with approved labeling (Note: do not use IM or SQ!)	72h = 2 x FARAD	IV: 36h IM: 72h	8d = 2x FARAD	IV: 4d IM: 30d SQ: 38d
Xylazine	Rx, ELDU	only in emergency	4d	72-120h	8d	5-10d
Tolazoline	Rx, ELDU	only for reverse effect of sedation and analgesia by Xylazine	4d	48h	8d	8d
Butorphanol	Rx, ELDU		8d	0	42d	2d
Procaine	Rx, ELDU	as local anesthetic	7d	NL	90d	NL

OTC: Over the counter medication.

Other

Therapy		Indication	Withdrawal Times
(alphabetical)			Milk		Meat
			NOP	FARAD	NOP	FARAD
Atropine (Sulfate)	Rx		12d	3d (single dose)¹ 6d (multiple doses)	56d	14d (single dose) 28d(multiple doses
Biologics/ Vaccines
Electrolytes		have to be without antibiotics
Excipients		only for use in the manufacture of drugs used to treat organic livestock when the excipient is: Identified by the FDA as Generally Recognized as Safe; Approved by the FDA as a food additive; or Included in the FDA review and approval of a New Animal Drug Application or New Drug Application
Furosemide	Rx	in accordance with label	2x label	2d	2x label	2d
Glucose
Glycerin		allowed as a livestock teat dip, must be produced through the hydrolysis of fats or oils
Hydrogen peroxide
Lime, hydrated		external pest control, not permitted to cauterize physical alterations or deodorize animal wastes
Magnesium hydroxide	Rx
Magnesium sulfate
DL-Methionine, DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog, and DL-Methionine-hydroxy analog calcium		for use only in organic poultry production at the following maximum levels of synthetic methionine per ton of feed: Laying and broiler chickens—2 pounds; turkeys and all other poultry—3 pounds
Mineral oil		topical use and as a lubricant
Oxytocin		use in postparturition therapeutic applications
Poloxalene		only be used for the emergency treatment of bloat		None		None
Sucrose octanoate esters		in accordance with approved labeling, feed additive
Trace minerals		used for enrichment or fortification when FDA approved
Vitamins		used for enrichment or fortification when FDA approved

¹Haskell et al., 2005. JAVMA, Vol 226, No. 6:884-887