Animal Health and Welfare
The EC Regulation now provides community standards for animal production, and products such as milk and eggs.
These standards aim to keep livestock in good health by promoting high standards of animal welfare, appropriate diets and good day-to-day care of stock. Id animals are ill, the farmer must give appropriate treatment. Antibiotics and other conventional medicines are used under veterinary advice and only where no alternative treatment is available or where necessary to save an animal's life or to reduce suffering. In such cases no product from the animal concerned may be sold as organic for a period from the last use of the medicine which in most cases is twice as long as the normal 'withdrawal period' for that medicine.
There are requirements to ensure humane conditions for animals in transport and at slaughter.
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