Re: Animal Welfare Approved

[Guest guest]

Judy,

I keep getting information from them and what I've read seems like SOOOOO much

paperwork it keeps me from even trying to get certified. Is it or am I just

reading more into it?

Belinda

>

> I just wanted to announce that we have qualified for the Animal Welfare

Approved label and banner. If you are not familiar with this organization just

check out their web site www.animalwelfareapproved.org This organizaation is

based out of Washington D.C. One of their auditors came to check out our farm

this past July and we are the first and only dairy in the state of Oklahoma to

qualify for this honor. We not only qualified for our Jersey cow operation but

the dairy goat operation and also the laying hens. They have very strick

criteria and we meet or exceed in every catagory. We will soon be added to their

web site so people that are concerned about how animals are treated can find us.

> Judy Calvert

> www.oklahomarawmilk.com

>

[Guest guest]

We are also certified for sheep chickens and dairy cows. The

process is very easy, most of us are already doing what they want done and they

are very helpful. IMO, It’s a way for folks to know you are not a factory

farm.

http://hillhousewriters.com

[Guest guest]

Belinda the auditor did all the paper work the first visit. I may have to do

the paper work next time I am not for sure on that. If you already meet the

criteria then it is not difficult. If you don't they will let you know what you

need to do to change to meet the requirements.

Judy Calvert

www.oklahomarawmilk.com

> >

> > I just wanted to announce that we have qualified for the Animal Welfare

Approved label and banner. If you are not familiar with this organization just

check out their web site www.animalwelfareapproved.org This organizaation is

based out of Washington D.C. One of their auditors came to check out our farm

this past July and we are the first and only dairy in the state of Oklahoma to

qualify for this honor. We not only qualified for our Jersey cow operation but

the dairy goat operation and also the laying hens. They have very strick

criteria and we meet or exceed in every catagory. We will soon be added to their

web site so people that are concerned about how animals are treated can find us.

> > Judy Calvert

> > www.oklahomarawmilk.com

> >

>

[Guest guest]

Judy, we have got all the info on this too and yes, it is a lot of paperwork and

quite frankly, neither we nor our customers(we let them read it) were

particularly impressed by the certification.

We feel that our customers are the best judge of how we do things.

If you sell direct and you know your customers and your customers know you and

your farm, what's the point?

No disrespect for anyone that wants to do it but I feel that I could better

spend my time taking care of the animals and farm instead of the paper work.

Just my two cents worth.

- In RawDairy , " labelleacres " wrote:

>

> Judy,

>

> I keep getting information from them and what I've read seems like SOOOOO much

paperwork it keeps me from even trying to get certified. Is it or am I just

reading more into it?

>

> Belinda

>

>

>

>

> >

> > I just wanted to announce that we have qualified for the Animal Welfare

Approved label and banner. If you are not familiar with this organization just

check out their web site www.animalwelfareapproved.org This organizaation is

based out of Washington D.C. One of their auditors came to check out our farm

this past July and we are the first and only dairy in the state of Oklahoma to

qualify for this honor. We not only qualified for our Jersey cow operation but

the dairy goat operation and also the laying hens. They have very strick

criteria and we meet or exceed in every catagory. We will soon be added to their

web site so people that are concerned about how animals are treated can find us.

> > Judy Calvert

> > www.oklahomarawmilk.com

> >

>

[Guest guest]

we have our approval and it was not that big a deal. You just keep general

records. The only other paper work are your writen plans in case of fire. How

you would treat a sick animal. transpertation plan. They do all the writing on

the inspection. You can keep your records on a calander like breeding, calving,

production. Your existing customers might not be impressed but a new potential

customer might.

Re: Animal Welfare Approved

Judy, we have got all the info on this too and yes, it is a lot of paperwork and

quite frankly, neither we nor our customers(we let them read it) were

particularly impressed by the certification.

We feel that our customers are the best judge of how we do things.

If you sell direct and you know your customers and your customers know you and

your farm, what's the point?

No disrespect for anyone that wants to do it but I feel that I could better

spend my time taking care of the animals and farm instead of the paper work.

Just my two cents worth.

- In RawDairy , " labelleacres " wrote:

>

> Judy,

>

> I keep getting information from them and what I've read seems like SOOOOO much

paperwork it keeps me from even trying to get certified. Is it or am I just

reading more into it?

>

> Belinda

>

>

>

>

> >

> > I just wanted to announce that we have qualified for the Animal Welfare A

[Guest guest]

Well if you have all the customers that you want or need then I agree with

you 100%. However this is a great marketing tool for those potential new

customers that I am seeking. The ones that don't know me or my farm. It seems

that everyone around my area has a goat or cow in their back yard now. Not

everyone takes care of their animals like you and me and most of the people in

this group. As an example I have a neighbor about 1/2 mile from me that has a

goat in about a 6x6 cage with the only thing to keep the heat off is a tarp on

top and the shelter is a pet carrier. The goat never gets out of that cage. I

get most of my new customers from my web site and to have that Animal Welfare

Approved banner on that web site will help for those potential new customers

that are concerned about the way animals are treated. It may be a bit more

paper work but I have found the more you put into something the more you get out

of it.

Judy Calvert

www.oklahomarawmilk.com

> > >

> > > I just wanted to announce that we have qualified for the Animal Welfare

Approved label and banner. If you are not familiar with this organization just

check out their web site www.animalwelfareapproved.org This organizaation is

based out of Washington D.C. One of their auditors came to check out our farm

this past July and we are the first and only dairy in the state of Oklahoma to

qualify for this honor. We not only qualified for our Jersey cow operation but

the dairy goat operation and also the laying hens. They have very strick

criteria and we meet or exceed in every catagory. We will soon be added to their

web site so people that are concerned about how animals are treated can find us.

> > > Judy Calvert

> > > www.oklahomarawmilk.com

> > >

> >

>

[Guest guest]

All this talk got me to look up some of the requirements, again. Once again, I

realize I can't live up to their expectations.

There is just no way I can get our free range chickens to line up twice a day

for inspection. I've sprinkled scratch feed on the ground and some of them still

don't come out of the trees. I've asked them numerous times to hold still so I

can take a head count thinking I could measure the roosts to be sure each has

the required 7 inches but they just run around chasing bugs, ignoring me.

The goat part has me a bit befuddled. In one area they don't allow goats to be

kept alone unless for illness but then another states that all does should be at

least 13 months old before they kid. What shall we do? Buy condoms for the

bucks?

Been working my way up to the pigs and cows to see what's up there but it's

looking pretty hopeless.

Belinda

[Guest guest]

You keep your bucks separated from your does until breeding time

– right? If you have one buck you get a wether to keep him company.

You do a head count at night when you lock your chickens up in

their coop.

Inspection can also mean/be observation.

It really is not all that difficult if you farm with practices

that are in the best interest of the animals.

Sheri

From: RawDairy

[mailto:RawDairy ] On Behalf Of labelleacres

Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 6:51 PM

To: RawDairy

Subject: Re: Animal Welfare Approved

All this talk got me to look up some of the

requirements, again. Once again, I realize I can't live up to their

expectations.

There is just no way I can get our free range chickens to line up twice a day

for inspection. I've sprinkled scratch feed on the ground and some of them

still don't come out of the trees. I've asked them numerous times to hold still

so I can take a head count thinking I could measure the roosts to be sure each

has the required 7 inches but they just run around chasing bugs, ignoring me.

The goat part has me a bit befuddled. In one area they don't allow goats to be

kept alone unless for illness but then another states that all does should be

at least 13 months old before they kid. What shall we do? Buy condoms for the

bucks?

Been working my way up to the pigs and cows to see what's up there but it's

looking pretty hopeless.

Belinda

[Guest guest]

>

> You keep your bucks separated from your does until breeding time - right?

No, I don't.

> If you have one buck you get a wether to keep him company.

>

>

>

> You do a head count at night when you lock your chickens up in their coop.

>

I don't lock the chickens up and don't plan to. They go out at daylight. Some

don't even come in at night. Some roost in trees, others on the roof of the hen

house.

>

> Inspection can also mean/be observation.

>

>

>

> It really is not all that difficult if you farm with practices that are in

> the best interest of the animals.

>

And it's in the best interest of the animals to lock them up?

Belinda

>

>

> Sheri

>

>

>

> From: RawDairy [mailto:RawDairy ] On Behalf

> Of labelleacres

> Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 6:51 PM

> To: RawDairy

> Subject: Re: Animal Welfare Approved

>

>

>

>

>

> All this talk got me to look up some of the requirements, again. Once again,

> I realize I can't live up to their expectations.

>

> There is just no way I can get our free range chickens to line up twice a

> day for inspection. I've sprinkled scratch feed on the ground and some of

> them still don't come out of the trees. I've asked them numerous times to

> hold still so I can take a head count thinking I could measure the roosts to

> be sure each has the required 7 inches but they just run around chasing

> bugs, ignoring me.

>

> The goat part has me a bit befuddled. In one area they don't allow goats to

> be kept alone unless for illness but then another states that all does

> should be at least 13 months old before they kid. What shall we do? Buy

> condoms for the bucks?

>

> Been working my way up to the pigs and cows to see what's up there but it's

> looking pretty hopeless.

>

> Belinda

>