Adams County defines livestock as cattle, swine, sheep, goats, horses, mules and donkeys used in farm or ranch production. Livestock is excluded from the pet code and is instead governed by county agricultural zoning and Colorado's right-to-farm protections.
The Animal Control Code defines "Livestock" as cattle, swine, sheep, goats, and such horses, mules, donkeys, and other animals used in the farm or ranch production of food, fiber, or other agricultural products, and excludes livestock from "pet animal." So livestock keeping is regulated by the county's Development Standards & Regulations (zoning), where farming and ranching are permitted principal uses in agricultural districts such as A-1, A-2 and A-3. Colorado's Right to Farm law (CRS § 35-3.5-102) further protects established agricultural operations from nuisance claims. Stocking rates depend on zone district and acreage; Adams County/CSU Extension publishes stocking-rate guidance.
Keeping livestock in a zone district that does not permit it can trigger zoning code-compliance action and abatement. Cruelty or neglect of livestock is separately unlawful under state law and the county code.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
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See how Thornton's livestock rules stack up against other locations.
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