An animal feeding operation (AFO) is a lot or facility, other
than an aquatic animal production facility, where animals have
been, are, or will be stabled or confined and fed or maintained for
a total of 45 days or more in any 12-month period, and in which the
animal confinement areas do not sustain crops, vegetation, forage
growth, or post-harvest residues in the normal growing season over
any portion of the lot or facility.
The type and number of animals on site determine how an AFO is
categorized under the rules:
Large Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO)
An AFO with the following number of animals is designated as a
large CAFO and is required to obtain a permit:
| Head |
Animal Type |
| 1,000 |
veal calves and cattle other than mature dairy cattle |
| 700 |
mature dairy cattle |
| 2,500 |
swine weighing over 55 pounds |
| 10,000 |
swine weighing less than 55 pounds |
| 5,000 |
ducks (liquid manure handling system) |
| 30,000 |
ducks (not using liquid manure handling system) |
| 500 |
horses |
| 10,000 |
sheep or lambs |
| 55,000 |
turkeys |
| 82,000 |
laying hens or broilers (not using liquid manure handling
system) |
| 30,000 |
laying hens or broilers (liquid manure handling system) |
| 125,000 |
chickens (other than laying hens, if not using liquid waste
handling system) |
All large CAFOs must obtain written authorization from the TCEQ.
If you do not qualify for the
general permit (PDF), then you must obtain an individual
permit (PDF). (Help with PDF.)
Medium CAFO
An AFO with the following number of animals that is located in
the Dairy Outreach Program Area (Erath, Bosque, Hamilton, Comanche,
Wood, Rains, and Hopkins Counties) is a medium CAFO:
| Head |
Animal Type |
| 300 to 999 |
veal calves and cattle other than mature dairy cattle |
| 200 to 699 |
mature dairy cattle |
| 3,000 to 9,999 |
swine weighing less than 55 pounds |
| 750 to 2,499 |
swine weighing over 55 pounds |
| 10,000 to 29,999 |
ducks (not using liquid manure handling system) |
| 1,500 to 4,999 |
ducks (liquid manure handling system) |
| 150 to 499 |
horse |
| 3,000 to 9,999 |
sheep or lambs |
| 16,500 to 54,999 |
turkeys |
| 25,000 to 81,999 |
laying hens or broilers (not using liquid manure handling
system) |
| 9,000 to 29,999 |
laying hens or broilers (liquid manure handling system) |
| 37,500 to 124,999 |
chickens (other than laying hens, if not using liquid waste
handling system) |
All medium CAFOs in the Dairy Outreach Program Area must obtain
written authorization from the TCEQ. If you do not qualify for the
general permit (PDF), then you must obtain an individual
permit (PDF). (Help with PDF.)
Small CAFO
Any AFO may be designated a small CAFO by the executive director
because it is a significant contributor of pollutants into or
adjacent to water in the state. Any AFO that is designated a small
CAFO must obtain written authorization from the TCEQ. If you do not
qualify for the
general permit (PDF), then you must obtain an individual
permit (PDF). (Help with PDF.)
Other Animal Feeding Operations
AFOs not defined or designated as CAFOs are authorized by the
permit by rule found in 30 TAC Chapter
321.47
. If you are an AFO but not a CAFO, you must
submit a notification form and comply with the permit by rule.If
you need technical assistance with your AFO, contact the
Texas State Soil and Water
Conservation Board
(TSSWCB) or the USDA
Natural
Resource Conservation Service
(NRCS).
All CAFOs must obtain written authorization from the Texas
Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ). Some CAFOs will qualify
for general permits (HTML)
while others will be required to obtain individual permits (HTML).
Contact us if you have other
questions about these authorizations.
