Our Health Policy in Plain Language
Healthy livestock begin with appropriate genetics, nutrition, clean water, shelter, low-stress handling, sanitation, pasture management, and daily observation. We favor prevention and limited intervention, but we will not withhold necessary care from a sick or injured animal to preserve a marketing claim.
Quick answer: We avoid unnecessary routine vaccines and antibiotics, evaluate treatment case by case, and put animal welfare first. 99% of our meat that becomes available for sale in our online store is free of vaccines and antibiotics, but on occasion, an animal that may have needed to be treated will be in the pipeline (or breeding stock that we need to cull, and all of our breeding stock is vaccinated). We generally reserve those animals for our own freezer or offer them to a friend, but if the meat is placed for sale in our online store, the product will have a disclaimer on each product page until the entirety of that product is sold.
Antibiotics and Veterinary Treatment
Antibiotics are not used as a substitute for poor management or as an automatic routine. When illness or injury warrants treatment, the responsible choice may include veterinary guidance and an appropriate medication. Treatment decisions, dose, timing, response, and required food-animal withdrawal periods should be recorded.
Vaccines, Parasites and Prevention
Vaccine use is limited and risk-based rather than one universal schedule for every animal. Parasite management combines observation, pasture rotation, sanitation, body condition, targeted testing when useful, and treatment when the health risk justifies it. Biosecurity and quarantine are part of protecting the larger herd. Dos Lobos Ranch will NEVER use MRNA vaccines in any of our animals.
Food Safety and Withdrawal Periods
No treated animal should enter the food supply before the applicable withdrawal period has been satisfied. Product labels, veterinary directions, animal identity, treatment dates, and harvest timing must agree. “No antibiotics ever” is not more ethical if it means an animal was denied care.
What Customers and Breeding Buyers Can Ask
Ask how the ranch prevents disease, when it treats, what records follow breeding stock, and how withdrawal periods are tracked. Read more about how we raise your food, review our feed standards, or ask about a specific animal or product.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are your animals antibiotic-free?
We avoid unnecessary routine antibiotic use, but animal welfare comes first. An animal that needs appropriate treatment should receive it, with records and required withdrawal periods observed.
Do you vaccinate livestock?
Vaccine decisions are limited, species-specific, and based on current risks, animal history, veterinary input, and herd management needs.
What happens when an animal gets sick?
We evaluate the animal promptly, isolate when appropriate, provide supportive care, and use veterinary or medicinal treatment when justified.
Do you use dewormers?
Parasite control is targeted rather than automatic. Management, observation, testing, animal condition, and risk determine whether treatment is needed.