Large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (definition)

Large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (Large CAFO) – An AFO (Animal Feeding Operation) is defined as a Large CAFO if it stables or confines as many or more than the numbers of animals specified in any of the following categories:

700 mature dairy cows, whether milked or dry;

1,000 veal calves;

1,000 cattle other than mature dairy cows or veal calves.

Cattle includes, but is not limited to, heifers, steers, bulls and cow/calf pairs;

2,500 swine, each weighing 55 pounds or more;

10,000 swine, each weighing less than 55 pounds;

500 horses;

10,000 sheep or lambs;

55,000 turkeys; 30,000 laying hens or broilers, if the AFO uses a liquid manure handling system;

125,000 chickens (other than laying hens), if the AFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system;

82,000 laying hens, if the AFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system;

30,000 ducks (if the AFO uses other than a liquid manure handling system);

or 5,000 ducks (if the AFO uses a liquid manure handling system)

[40 CFR 122.23(b)(4)] – U.S. Environmental Protection Agency National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) Glossary http://cfpub.epa.gov/npdes/glossary.cfm?program_id=0

(Note: There is currently no definition for "Factory Farm" within the parameters of .gov.)

the dog - poem

the dog



they promised me they'd take care of everything

feed her & care for her I said I didn't want one

as though we ever know what it is we want

in two years they were gone

& I had Simba all alone though really Simba had me

on the end of a leash almost every afternoon or evening

in a right-hand tug-of-war with the untamed feminine

more than once even knocked down

& in my left sometimes at night the jiggledy hodge-podge

curiosity of a hand-held light purposefully searching

for a way into darkness at the gravel edge of the world

the wind scowling stars blotted out

in the black hole heart of an incoming storm

walking the dog that's when I too grip

how strong's the bond between fetch & toss

bark & song


- art goodtimes, san miguel county, colorado

gourds@paleohippie.com