Organic Livestock Farming: New Challenges with an Emerging Opportunity
Dr Ashwani Kumar1
1Veterinary Assistant Surgeon, Department of Animal Husbandry, Jammu, UT J&K
9622308188, drashwanivet87@gmail.com
Abstract
Due to the growing demand for animal products, there is a need to design new livestock production systems that allow the combination of food security and sustainability. Within this context, organic livestock may be a useful strategy to achieve such a pivotal goal. However, there is a lack of studies that integrate the existing knowledge, specifically in organic livestock, and integrating the main aspects implied in its practice. The present paper aims to fill this knowledge gap, providing strategies and insights that will help stakeholders and policy makers to improve the sustainability of both the organic sector itself and that of the whole food system.
Keywords:– Organic, Livestock, sustainability, food system
Introduction
There has been considerable growth in the number of organic livestock farms in response to the necessity to fulfill the growing demand for animal products predicted for 2050. Livestock sector is of great importance for the sustainability of rural economies and many ecosystems; however, it also has a high environmental impact. Organic farming is an integrated system of farming based on ecological principles. It promotes biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It is a system that begins to consider potential environmental and social impacts by eliminating the use of synthetic inputs such as synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, allopathic drugs, genetically modified seeds and breeds, preservatives, additives and irradiation. In India the organic farming was practiced since thousands of years and the entire agriculture was practiced using organic techniques, where the fertilizers, pesticides, etc., were obtained from plant and animal products. Organic farming was the backbone of the Indian economy and the cow not only provided milk, but also provided bullocks for farming and dung which was used as fertilizers. Being healthier both consumer and farmers are now gradually shifting back to organic farming in India. Many farmers in India are shifting to organic farming due to the domestic and international demand for organic food. In india, organic farming is seen as a good cost effective solution to the increasing costs involved in chemical farming. Organic farming, therefore, provides a better alternative to chemical farming.
Organic animal husbandry is defined as system of livestock production that promotes the use of organic and biodegradable inputs from the ecosystem in terms of animal nutrition, animal health, animal housing and breeding. It deliberately avoids the use of synthetic inputs such as drugs, feed additives and genetically engineered breeding inputs. To raise livestock organically, their fodder crops must also comply with strict organic standards. Raising livestock and poultry, for meat, dairy and eggs, is another traditional farming activity that complements growing. Organic livestock may be, and must be, treated with medicine when they are sick, but drugs cannot be used to promote growth, their feed must be organic, and they must be pastured. Also, horses and cattle were once a basic farm feature that provided labor, for hauling and plowing, fertility, through recycling of manure, and fuel, in the form of food for farmers and other animals. For organic production, all animals, except for poultry, dairy and stock used exclusively for breeding, must be under continuous organic management from the last third of gestation prior to the animal’s birth. Poultry and poultry products must be from poultry that has been under continuous organic management beginning no later than the second day of life.
Objectives
The objectives of the present paper is (i) to fill the existing knowledge gap with regard to the sustainability, challenges, and perspectives of the organic livestock sector, as well as regarding its contribution to the agrifood system’s sustainability. Moreover, this study is also aimed at (ii) providing strategies and insights that will help stakeholders and policy makers to improve the sustainability of both the organic livestock sector and that of the whole food system.
Discussion
Why it is necessary to grow organic?
Reduces health risk: 60% of all herbicides (weed killers), 90% of all fungicides (mold killers), and 30% of all insecticides (insect killers) as potentially cancer causing agents. Pesticides present in the feed of dairy cattle are show up in milk. A cow which is fed a diet consisting of mainly corn and grain will have a very acidic pH digestive solution. This acidic solution in combination with starches in the corn and grain produce elevated levels of Omega-6 and lower levels of Omega-3 and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and excessive levels of Omega-6 relative to Omega-3 increases the probability of arrhythmia, arthritis, cancer, depression, heart attacks, inflammation, mood disorders, osteoporosis and stroke. Whereas, milk from pasture grazed cows contains more CLAs, having antioxidant and anti-cancer properties.
Healthy animals: Researchers found that livestock fed with “regular” non-organic food, have symptoms of die-offs, visible nutritional deficiencies, slower growth rates, still-borns, scraggly feathers and coats and an overall unthriftiness. Whereas switching animals from inorganic to organic feeds produce no die-offs or sicknesses, zero nutritional deficiencies, faster growth rates, healthier shinier feathers and furs, and amazing health and vigor. Another advantage of organic fed animals is that organic milk has more shelf life over regular milk as this milk is sterilized at very high temperatures (around 280 degrees F), so it can be kept for long time.
Feed and Feed Additives:- All the agricultural components of the ration must be certified organic. The only synthetic feed additives permitted are D, L-methionine for poultry and FDA approved trace minerals and vitamins. Livestock used for organic production must be free from animal drugs including hormones to promote growth. Feed supplements or additives in amounts above the need for adequate nutrition and maintenance. Feed additives and supplements in violation of the Food and Drug Administration.
Housing and Shelter:- Organic livestock producers must maintain conditions which accommodate the health and natural behavior of animals including, access to the outdoors, shade, shelter, exercise areas, fresh air and direct sunlight suitable to the species and its stage of production. Appropriate clean and dry bedding material (which must be organic, if consumed by the animal). Pasture for ruminants. Shelter must be designed to allow natural maintenance, comfort behaviours and exercise. It should maintain appropriate temperature, ventilation and sunlight suitable to species and reduces chances of injury.
Health management:- Organic livestock production includes preventive health care practices like provision of appropriate housing, pasture conditions, hygiene and sanitary practices to minimize the occurrence or spread of diseases. Administration of vaccines and other veterinary biological. Dairy stock used a minimum of 90 days prior to the production of milk or milk products that are to be sold, labeled or represented as organic.
Benefits from organic production:- Quality of organic products is generally superior to conventional products. Organic milk contains higher percentage of beneficial contents i.e. alpha tocopherol (Vit E), beta carotene, omega essential fatty acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) etc. It provides greater emphasis on the use of local resources and self-reliance thus provides more opportunities for rural employment. It reduces concerns of animal welfare, chemical residues, incidence of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalophathy), FMD, Genetically modified food (GMF) and some bacterial diseases.
Opportunities in India:- Remote hilly terrains, tribal areas, North-Eastern states are favorable for organic farming. Extensive backyard poultry system can be followed. Predominant crop-livestock integrated or mixed farming system. Indigenous livestock breeds are less susceptible to diseases and stress. Particularly important in rainfed dryland agriculture regions (65%). Rising concern for environmental and animal welfare issues. Rising consumer awareness for organic products.
Strengths of organic livestock farming:- Availability of quality indigenous breeds: Breed requirement under organic dairy farming system is highly location specific (NPOP, 2005). In a diverse country like India, a number of good quality local breeds are available for each specific region. Breed like Sahiwal, Gir, Red Sindhi, Rathi, Tharparker of cattle, Murrah, Surti, Nili Ravi, Jaffrabadi, Mehsana of buffalo are best local milk producing breed.
Livestock based integrated farming system: Livestock based integrated farming system is one of the rising agriculture systems for the northeastern region. The practice of this type of farming system has been continued in this region in a traditional way from time immemorial. The basic principles of the farming system are productive recycling of farm wastes. Integrated crop livestock farming system predominant in India with well diversified livestock population is ideal for organic livestock farming..
Resistance to diseases:- Indian dairy animal breeds are less susceptible to disease and stress need less allopathic medicine/antibiotics which make them ideal for raising under organic management. In case of health problem homeopathic or ayurvedic medicine could be used. Better performance of dairy animals:- Generally the yields drop by about 10% when converting to organic production but it is possible to maintain a high yield level in organic cows. A research undertaken in National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal proved that total lactation yields (2703.93±237.42 vs. 2358.33±248.08 kg), total lactation lengths (347.66±39.722 vs. 323.5±41.84 days) and the 305 day milk yield (2439. 7± 156.25 vs. 2081 ±133.90 kg) were found to be higher in organically managed buffaloes as compared to conventionally managed buffaloes along with better health status. Generally Organic management causes less metabolic stress for the more natural management but for the same reason, the milk yield is always smaller and the reproductive performance is often better. But a well-managed nutrient supply in the form of organic feed can ensure comparable milk production of organic cattle in long term.
Organic Dry Farming: an upcoming trend:-Cowpathy or panchgavya therapy is a treatment based on products obtained from cows used in ayurveda and of religious significance for Hindus. It is a system of medicine just like as homeopathy, allopathy or naturopathy. Within Hinduism, Panchgavya is used as an offering to deities and consumed by devotees as a form of prasad. It is made up of five cow products; milk, curd, ghee, urine and dung. Cow urine (Gomutra): Cow urine is a great elixir, proper diet, pleasing to heart, giver of mental and physical strength, enhances longevity. It balances bile, mucous and airs. It removes heart diseases and effect of poisons. Cow urine (gomutra), is a natural antiseptic as well as an antimicrobial agent and in Ayurveda it is known as ‘Sanjivani’. It is an extremely potent medicine most effective in treating all kinds of infections especially those of the kidney and liver. Gomutra is able to cleanse the system from toxins and acts as an antidote that protects the body from various types of poison. When used as an eye drop, it is very effective in treating all types of eye infections. Gomutra can also be used as an eco-friendly household disinfectant and natural insecticide.
Emerging Trends: Indians farmers were enthusiastically encouraged to use chemical fertilizers and pesticides in post Independent scenario. This, no doubt, increased the production but inadvertently affected the quality of soil as well as the food it produced. The food products available in the country today are so heavily contaminated with the pesticide residue that these substances find their way even in the milk of lactating mothers and ultimately in the infants. During past decades some farmers became aware of this menace and started searching the substitutes for chemical fertilizers and pesticides. The products obtained from cows were the best choice. Concerted efforts made during the past decades resulted in some important products obtained from cow dung and cow’s urine, which can be used as fertilizers and pest repellent respectively in agricultural practice. There are a variety of these products, which can be useful in different situations. These products became very popular wherever they were used and increasing numbers of farmers are using them day by day also because the agricultural products produced by organic farming also are becoming gradually popular.
Cow’s urine has been used as medicinal agent since ages, some modern practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine used cow’s urine in practice with astonishing results. Gradually such products produced under the license from state drug authority started becoming popular. Encouraged with this success, the Ayurvedic practitioners are also attempting medicinal formulations containing cowdung, buttermilk and cow’s ghee mixed with other herbs. These products are now gaining success, which prompted many medical researchers to analyze their chemistry and pharmacological actions. The results of such investigation are strongly indicative of these products being useful in disorders of kidney, liver, and central nervous system.
Recent scientific investigations are also indicative of cow’s milk containing some valuable micronutrients such as carotinoids, flavones, phenolic compounds, steroids, vitamin A,and several other nutrients. Thus the cow is gradually gaining importance not only for the quantity of milk that it yields but also for the quality of milk and also for agricultural and medicinal importance of its products other than milk.
The Panchgavya products also show many other applications viz. excellent agricultural applications of these products viz in the form of biofertilizers, vermicompost and biopesticides, which improves soil fertility and provide food grains free from the health hazards of using chemical fertilizers/pesticides. A systematic work needs to be carried out on chemical nature, biological activity, microbiology and pharmaceutical aspects and mechanism of bioactive compounds of these organic livestock products and byproductsand dire attention of scientific community is urgently required.
Conclusion
Lately organic farming has become a trending topic and research on it has increased to support the interest of consumers in organic products. There is an excellent scope for converting to organic production systems as India has rich livestock diversity, affluence of indigenous non-chemical fertilizers. Indian farmers need to use the strengths and opportunities they have to overcome the weaknesses and potential threats. Bioactive plant secondary metabolites in forages and as feed supplements could have the potential to improve future organic livestock farming. Roles of nutritionists and veterinarians are more important in organic system than conventional system which needs improved nutritional management and efficient surveillances of diseases and organisms that are economically important. It requires strong policy initiatives by government for organic farming. A campaign to highlight the benefits of organic farming against the conventional system is essential to increase the awareness of the farmers and consumers. Finally, and more urgently, special attention must be paid on the marketing strategies of organic products (organic plus products and marketing channels) since this is the main constraint of the sector, and it is the point where there are more possibilities for improvement for both farm profitability and overall sustainability of the food system.
