Consumer corner - How is medication given to organic livestock

Many consumers and conventional (non-organic) farmers think that organic livestock receive no medication if sick and that they are left to their own devices. Organic standards place a strong emphasis on animal welfare. If animals are sick then treatment using medicine is allowed

There are very tight controls when medication can be given, and full records must be kept. Animals cannot just be given medication as a preventative as is common in conventional farming.  A real need has to be proven, and backed up by evidence and sometimes verified by a veterinary surgeon.

Whole herds or flocks are not usually treated, just the animals requiring it.

If there is a known problem where a disease or parasite is present for example Liver fluke and is likely to be a regular problem, permission may be given for treating the whole herd.

There are also strict rules on how much medication an animal can receive, and the time period between receiving medication and going for slaughter. If an animal continually needs medication, then it can lose its organic status. It is normal for the time period between medication and slaughter to be at least double that which is shown ‘on the bottle’.

Some types of medicine are totally banned in organic production, often because of their environmental effects, the most important being organophosphate pesticides. There are also restrictions on other products used for controlling internal parasites (worms), due to the fact that they break down `very slowly.

Certain worming products do not allow dung pats to break down because the dung still contains the chemical given as medication, and it then kills insects and worms which normally decompose the dung.

Many farmers have found that adopting the organic approach to medication has saved them money.

Organic standards are designed to prevent animals suffering, but also to re-assure consumers that medication has been given responsibly, only when needed, and that the meat, milk, eggs and so on are as free of residues as possible.