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Competency Area 9: Conservation Planning AEM

PO 89. Define "Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation" (CAFO) and "Animal Feeding Operations" (AFO) and explain how these relate to local regulations and national Clean Water strategies.

Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)

An AFO that is defined as a Large CAFO or as a Medium CAFO…, or that is designated as a CAFO… Two or more AFOs under common ownership are considered to be a single AFO for the purposes of determining the number of animals at an operation, if they adjoin each other or if they use a common area or system for the disposal of wastes. [40 CFR 122.23(b)(2)]

Large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (Large CAFO) [40 CFR 122.23(b)(4)]

An AFO 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