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PA Bulletin, Doc. No. 17-951

NOTICES

STATE CONSERVATION COMMISSION

Approval of Updated Standard Animal Weights

[47 Pa.B. 3165]
[Saturday, June 3, 2017]

 The State Conservation Commission (Commission) is providing public notice of an update to its guidance on standard animal weights to determine if an agricultural operation is a concentrated animal operation (CAO). The nutrient management regulations of the Commission require CAOs to be identified through the number of animal equivalent units (AEU) on the agricultural operation. The operator must follow several steps included in the regulations to calculate the number of AEUs. The first step requires the operator to compute the animal weight by multiplying the average number of animals on the operation by the standard animal weight used by the livestock industry in this Commonwealth. See 25 Pa. Code § 83.262(a)(1)(i) (relating to identification of CAOs). The regulations allow the operator to use the standard weights contained in guidance published by the Commission to meet the requirements of 25 Pa. Code § 83.262(a)(1)(i), in addition to other acceptable documented animal weights.

A. Effective Date

 The updated standard animal weights were approved by the Commission on May 9, 2017.

 The newly approved standard animal weights will become effective on October 1, 2019, for newly identified CAOs and concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFO).

 The newly approved standard animal weights will become effective for existing CAOs, CAFOs and voluntary animal operations whenever those existing Nutrient Management Plans (NMP) are due to be amended during the triannual review.

B. Background

 The animal groupings and weights that are used in implementing the NMP program have been revised several times since they were first developed. The Nutrient Management Act (Act 6), which required NMPs became law in 1993. The initial animal weights and groupings were developed in 1997. In 2005, Act 6 was repealed and replaced with 3 Pa.C.S. §§ 501—522 (relating to nutrient management and odor management). Due to the passage of 3 Pa.C.S. §§ 501—522, revisions were made to the animal weights and groupings in 2005 and 2010.

 Based on requests from the regulated community, the Commission reviewed the existing guidance and concluded that the information related to all animal species weights and animal groupings needed to be updated to accurately reflect current industry standards in this Commonwealth.

 In September 2016, the Commission approved a 60-day public comment period on the draft standard animal weights.

 The Commission received 84 comments from 25 commentators. The Commission considered the comments and made some additional edits to the guidance.

 Copies of the standard animal groupings and weights and the comment and response document are available from Frank X. Schneider, Director, Nutrient and Odor Management Programs, Room 311, 2301 North Cameron Street, Harrisburg, PA 17110, (717) 705-3895.

 The following standard animal groupings and weights are as follows:


Type of Animal Standard Weight (lbs.) during Production (range)
Dairy Holstein/Brown Swiss
 Cow 1,450
 Heifer: 1-2 years 1,000 (750—1,250)
 Calf: 0-1 year 420 (90—750)
 Bull 1,700
Dairy Guernsey/Ayrshire
 Cow 1,200
 Heifer: 1-2 years 865 (630—1,100)
 Calf: 0-1 year 350 (70—630)
 Bull 1,600
Dairy Jersey
 Cow 1,000
 Heifer: 1-2 years 675 (500—850)
 Calf: 0-1 year 225 (50—500)
 Bull 1,200
Beef
 Calf: 0—8 months 300 (100—500)
 Backgrounding Cattle 500 (300—700)
 Finishing: 8—24 months 950 (500—1,400)
 Replacement Heifer: 8 months—1 year 500 (300—700)
 Replacement Heifer: 1-2 years 875 (700—1,050)
 Cow 1,400
 Bull 1,500
Veal
 Calf: 0—20 weeks 280 (95—465)
Swine
 Nursery pig 35 (13—57)
 Wean to finish 143 (13—273)
 Grow finish 165 (57—273)
 Gestating sow 450
 Sow and litter 470
 Boar 450
Poultry Layer
 White egg: 18—75 weeks 3.13 (2.82—3.44)
 White egg: 18—90 weeks 3.14 (2.82—3.46)
 Brown egg: 18—75 weeks 3.85 (3.35—4.34)
 Brown egg: 18—90 weeks 3.85 (3.35—4.34)
 Pullet, white egg: 0—16 weeks 1.38 (0.08—2.67)
 Pullet, brown egg: 0—16 weeks 1.54 (0.08—3.0)
 Breeder hen, white egg: 17—70 weeks 3.25 (2.7—3.8)
 Breeder rooster, white egg: 17—70 weeks 4.37 (3.67—5.06)
 Breeder hen, brown egg: 17—70 weeks 3.55 (2.9—4.2)
 Breeder rooster, brown egg: 17—70 weeks 4.78 (4.5—5.06)
Poultry Broiler
 Large: 0—53 days 3.55 (0.09—7.0)
 Medium: 0—35 days 2.55 (0.09—5.0)
 Roaster male: 0—7 weeks 4.70 (0.09—9.3)
 Roaster female: 0—9 weeks 4.95 (0.09—9.8)
 Breeder pullet: 0—20 weeks 2.55 (0.09—5.0)
 Breeder cockerel: 0—20 weeks 3.55 (0.09—7.0)
 Breeder hen: 20—65 weeks 6.75 (5.0—8.5)
 Breeder rooster: 20—65 weeks 8.75 (7.0—10.5)
Poultry Turkey
 Tom brooder: 0—6 weeks 3.36 (0.22—6.5)
 Hen brooder: 0—6 weeks 2.74 (0.22—5.25)
 Tom: 6—18 weeks 25.25 (6.5—44)
 Hen regular: 6—12 weeks 11.13 (5.25—17)
 Hen heavy: 6—16 weeks 14.63 (5.25—24)
Poultry Duck
 Starter: 0—17 days 1.36 (0.22—2.5)
 Finisher: 17—38 days 4.88 (2.5—7.25)
 Developer: 0—196 days 3.21 (0.22—6.2)
 Layer 6.85 (6.2—7.5)
Poultry Game Birds
 Guinea, growing: 0—14 weeks 1.91 (0.06—3.75)
 Guinea, mature 3.75
 Pheasant, growing: 0—13 weeks 1.53 (0.05—3.0)
 Pheasant, mature 3.0
 Chukar, growing: 0—13 weeks 0.52 (0.04—1.0)
 Chukar, mature 1.0
 Quail, growing: 0—13 weeks 0.26 (0.02—0.5)
 Quail, mature 0.5
Larger Breed Sheep
 Lamb: 0-1 year 95 (10—180)
 Ewe 225
 Ram 300
Medium Breed Sheep
 Lamb: 0-1 year 80 (10—150)
 Ewe 175
 Ram 225
Smaller Breed Sheep
 Lamb: 0-1 year 45 (10—80)
 Ewe 100
 Ram 125
Meat Goats
 Kid: 0-1 year 65 (5—125)
 Doe 150
 Buck 200
Dairy Goats
 Kid: 0-1 year 45 (5—85)
 Doe 125
 Buck 170
Miniature Horses and Miniature Donkeys
 Foal: 0—6 months 35 (25—45)
 Weanling: 6—12 months 60 (45—75)
 Yearling: 12—24 months 100 (75—125)
 Two Year Old: 24—36 months 150 (125—175)
 Mature 200
Ponies and Donkeys
 Foal: 0—6 months 65 (30—100)
 Weanling: 6—12 months 150 (100—200)
 Yearling: 12—24 months 300 (200—400)
 Two Year Old: 24—36 months 400 (300—500)
 Mature 600
Light Horses and Mules
 Foal: 0—6 months 190 (80—300)
 Weanling: 6—12 months 450 (300—600)
 Yearling: 12—24 months 700 (600—800)
 Two Year Old: 24—36 months 900 (800—1,000)
 Mature 1,100
Draft Horses
 Foal: 0—6 months 360 (120—600)
 Weanling: 6—12 months 800 (600—1,000)
 Yearling: 12—24 months 1,150 (1,000—1,300)
 Two Year Old: 24—36 months 1,450 (1,300—1,600)
 Mature 1,800
Bison
 Calf: 0-1 year 275 (50—500)
 Yearling 1-2 years 650 (500—800)
 Cow 1,000
 Bull 1,600
Deer
 Fawn: 0—6 months 36 (7—65)
 Yearling Doe: 6—18 months 95 (65—125)
 Yearling Buck: 6—18 months 110 (65—155)
 Mature Doe 145
 Mature Buck 200
Alpaca
 Young 80 (15—145)
 Mature Female 145
 Mature Male 170
Llama
 Cria: 0-1 year 75 (25—125)
 Yearling: 1-2 years 213 (125—300)
 Mature 350

PATRICK McDONNELL, 
Chairperson

[Pa.B. Doc. No. 17-951. Filed for public inspection June 2, 2017, 9:00 a.m.]


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