Rule 901:12-5-03 | Management.
(A) Housing must provide a clean and safe environment that promotes the health, welfare and performance of veal calves at all stages of their lives.
(B) Lighting must be adequate to observe all calves during inspection; and if natural light is not available, artificial light must be provided for eight hours in every twenty-four hour period of sufficient intensity that calves can observe each other.
(C) Individual pens for veal calves may be used under the following conditions:
(1) Must allow for quality air circulation, permit opportunity for socialization between veal calves, with consideration given to ensuring the calf's health is maintained, allow the calves to stand without impediment, provide for normal resting postures, groom, eat, lie down and rest;
(2) Veal calves will be permitted to be tethered or non-tethered in stalls of a minimum twenty-four inches wide and sixty-six inches long until December 31, 2017;
(3) After December 31, 2017, tethering may only be used in accordance with paragraph (E) of this rule; and an individual pen must permit a calf's movement as described in paragraph (C)(1) of this rule and in addition the calf must be able to turn around; and;
(4) After December 31, 2017, veal calves must be housed in group pens by ten weeks of age.
(D) Group pens for veal calves may be used under the following conditions:
(1) Must allow for quality air circulation, permit opportunity for socialization between veal calves, with consideration given to ensuring the calf's health is maintained, allow the calves to stand without impediment, provide for normal resting postures, groom, eat, turn around, lie down and rest;
(2) A minimum of two veal calves in an area of a minimum of fourteen square feet per veal calf;
(3) Calves of substantially different sizes must be separated from one another; and,
(4) Veal calves must be monitored on a daily basis for naval and cross sucking and be provided with intervention, such as movement to individual pens.
(E) Tethering of veal calves may be used under the following conditions:
(1) To prevent naval and cross sucking and restraint for examinations, treatments and transit;
(2) Tether must be long enough to allow the veal calf to stand, groom, eat, lie down comfortably and rest in a natural posture;
(3) The tether's length and collar size must be checked every other week and adjusted as necessary; and,
(4) Tethering as used in this chapter refers only to veal as defined in rule 901:12-5-01 of the Administrative Code.
Supplemental Information