Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Cattle

Robert Blair

• Publisher: CAB International
• Year: 2021
• Print ISBN: 9781789245554
• eBook ISBN: 9781789245578
• Edition: 2
• Topic: Tecnologia e ingegneria
• Subtopic: Agricoltura

Organic cattle farming is on the increase, with consumer demand for organic milk and meat growing yearly. Beginning with an overview of the aims and principles behind organic cattle production, this book presents extensive information about how to feed cattle so that the milk and meat produced meet organic standards, and provides a comprehensive summary of ruminant digestive processes and nutrition.Since the publication of the first edition, global consumers have increasingly become concerned with the sustainability of meat production. Here, Robert Blair considers the interrelationships of sustainable practices and profitability of organic herds, reviewing how to improve forage production and quality, and minimizing the need for supplementary feeding using off-farm ingredients. This new edition also covers: - Managing a recurrent shortage of organic feed ingredients, due to increased GM feed crop cultivation worldwide - Current findings on appropriate breeds and grazing systems for forage-based organic production - Diet-related health issues in organic herds and the effects of organic production on meat and milk quality.Required reading for animal science researchers, advisory personnel that service the organic milk and beef industries and students interested in organic milk and meat production, this book is also a useful resource for organic farming associations, veterinarians, and feed and food industry personnel.

1

Introduction and Background

This book completes a trilogy of books dealing with the nutrition and feeding of farm animals that are produced organically; Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Pigs (Blair, 2007, 2009 (Chinese version), 2018a), Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Poultry (Blair, 2008, 2018b) and Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Cattle (Blair, 2012). This update on Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Cattle deals with both dairy and beef cattle and, like the previous books in the series, presents information on how to feed these animals so that the milk and meat produced meet organic standards.

The available data confirm that there is an increasing market for organic products, if they can be delivered at a price acceptable to the consumer. As a result organic animal production has increased in many countries. This development is a response to an increased consumer demand for food that is perceived to be fresh, wholesome and flavoursome, free of hormones, antibiotics and harmful chemicals and produced in a way that is sustainable environmentally and preferably locally, and without the use of genetically modified (GM) crops.

Organic farming can be defined as an approach to agriculture in which the aim is to create integrated, humane, environmentally and economically sustainable agricultural production systems. Thus maximum reliance is placed on locally or farm-derived renewable resources. In many European countries, organic agriculture is known as ecological agriculture, reflecting this emphasis on ecosystem management. The term for organic production and products differs within the European Union (EU). In English the term is organic; but in Danish, Swedish and Spanish it is ecological; in German ecological or biological; and in French, Italian, Dutch and Portuguese it is biological. In Australia the term used is organic, biodynamic or ecological.

The organic standards relating to feeding of animals share a commonality internationally and continue to be refined to deal with practical issues, such as a recurring shortage of organic feedstuffs. As a result some exceptions to the regulations are permitted in some countries. For instance, the Australian Standard is similar to European standards in relation to permitted feed ingredients; feed supplements of agricultural origin having to be of certified organic or of biodynamic origin. A derogation allows that, if this requirement cannot be met, the approved certifying organization may allow the use of product that does not comply with the Standard provided that it is free from prohibited substances or contaminants and it constitutes no more than 5% of the animal’s diet on an annual basis. Permitted feed supplements of non-agricultural origin in Australia include minerals, vitamins or provitamins only if from natural sources. Treatment of animals for trace mineral and vitamin deficiencies is subject to the same provision of natural origin. Animal nutritionists will regard with some scepticism the requirement that ‘The use of trace elements must be on the basis of a demonstrated deficiency’ since this could lead to animal suffering. The US regulations exemplify a different approach to the use of trace minerals and vitamins. The standards in that country contain a National List, which includes feed ingredients. It allows all non-synthetic (natural) materials unless specifically prohibited and prohibits all synthetic materials unless specifically allowed. A difference between US and EU regulations affecting feedstuffs is that no derogations are sanctioned under the US National Organic Program. Trace minerals and vitamins that are approved for feed supplementation by the Food and Drug Administration can be used for enrichment or fortification of organic feed. These examples illustrate the point that organic farmers need to be very familiar with the details of the standards applicable to their region.

In many ways organic farming appears to be a turning back of the clock, but it should be practised using modern knowledge. Ration balancing programmes have been used for many years in conventional cattle production to allow feedstuffs to be used efficiently and this book advocates their use in organic production, including the use of computers to formulate diets and feeding programmes tailored to the type of cattle and the particular environment in question.

Application of the appropriate technical knowledge will allow the organic industry to thrive and produce the type of product sought by the public, at a competitive price. In addition, application of this knowledge will weaken the accusation that organic cattle farming contributes more to greenhouse gas production than conventional cattle farming.

This book provides an important source of peer-reviewed references on the organic feeding of cattle, drawn from the international scientific literature. The organic industry needs to have access to a compilation of unbiased, documented references such as this, and not available elsewhere.

One interesting aspect of the available scientific literature – as pointed out by Manuelian et al. (2020) – is that countries which started the organic farming movement still account for most of the published papers. These authors made that conclusion after reviewing selected documents from 44 countries worldwide. Germany was the country with the most scientific papers published on organic livestock farming (56 documents), followed by France (31) and Denmark (30). This was a reflection of the fact that countries with a long tradition in organic farming (German-speaking countries, English-speaking countries and France) are still the predominant countries in organic livestock research. The most cited countries of authorship, within the 320 selected documents, were Germany (751 citations), the United Kingdom (728 citations) and Denmark (596 citations). Manuelian et al. (2020) commented also on the fact that the number of citations of the publications appeared to be related to the language in which the documents were written (supporting the hypothesis that the language of the documents influences their chance to be cited). The choice of journal for publication was another factor, since most of the peer-reviewed journals in question were published in English.

Support for the better application of technical information was provided by Sundrum (2010). His review of the organic meat industry concluded that, although defined by specific and basic guidelines, organic livestock production is characterized by largely heterogeneous farming conditions that allow for huge differences in the availability of nutrient resources, the implementation of feeding regimes and the use of genotypes, etc. All of these have an effect on meat production. Correspondingly, there is substantial variation in the quality of organic meat entering the marketplace. The quality of organic beef is inconsistent and often falls short of expectation. In addition, it is often similar in quality to conventionally produced meat. He concluded that, in some cases, the organic guidelines play only a minor role with respect to meat quality.

This publication sets out guidance on nutrition and feeding practices that relate to the standards for certification of organic cattle. Although aspects of the various topics addressed in the book have been presented at conferences and in trade and scientific publications, no comprehensive text has yet been published. Details on permitted feed ingredients, with an emphasis on those grown or available locally, and on suitable dietary formulations are included in the book. The book will be of interest to the advisory personnel that service the organic milk and beef industries and also researchers, university and college teachers, students, veterinarians, regulatory agencies, feed manufacturers and feed supply companies. Organic producers with some technical knowledge of animal nutrition will also benefit from the information provided.

The book addresses the topic in several chapters, as follows.

• Chapter 1 Introduction and Background sets out a description and background to the topic.

• Chapter 2 Aims and Principles of Organic Cattle Production outlines the international standards relating to organic production of milk and beef and the roles of international organic agencies.

• Chapter 3 Elements of Cattle Nutrition provides a description of the fundamentals of the digestive processes in ruminant animals, required nutrients, deficiency signs and factors affecting feed intake.

• Chapter 4 Ingredients for Organic Diets is a large chapter that provides a nutrient profile and feeding value of a complete range of feeds for ruminant feeding, including forage plants, silages, grains, protein and micronutrient supplements. In addition, it provides information on the effects of feedstuffs on milk and beef production, quality and safety.

• Chapter 5 Breeds for Organic Production provides data relating to the choice of the right breeds for specific environments and on effects of breed type on productivity. Dual-purpose breeds are in general recommended for organic production systems.

• Chapter 6 Integrating Feeding Programmes into Organic Production Systems deals with the effects of feeding programmes on productivity, health and welfare of organic cattle and on the quality and safety of organic milk and beef.

• Chapter 7 Conclusions and Recommendations for the Future summarizes the aspects covered in the book and recommends approaches that should be taken to fill gaps in existing knowledge, consumer aspects and research needs.

References

Blair, R. (2007) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Pigs. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxford, UK, 322 pp.

Blair, R. (2008) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Poultry. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxford, UK, 314 pp.

Blair, R. (2009) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Pigs [In Chinese]. CAB International–China Agricultural Publishing House, Beijing, 260 pp.

Blair, R. (2012) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Cattle. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxford, UK, 304 pp.

Blair, R. (2018a) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Pigs, 2nd edn. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxford, UK, 258 pp.

Blair, R. (2018b) Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Poultry, 2nd edn. CAB International, Wallingford, Oxford, UK, 268 pp.

Manuelian, C.L., Penasa, M., da Costa., L., Burbi, S., Righi, F. and De Marchi, M. (2020) Organic Livestock Production: A Bibliometric Review. Animals 10, 618–633.

Sundrum, A. (2010) Assessing impacts of organic production on pork and beef quality. CAB Reviews: Perspectives in Agriculture, Veterinary Science, Nutrition and Natural Resources 5, 1–13.

2

Aims and Principles of Organic Cattle Production

According to the Codex Alimentarius Commission (1999) and the Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme, organic agriculture is:

a holistic production management system which promotes and enhances agroecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles, and soil biological activity. It emphasizes the use of management practices in preference to the use of off-farm inputs as opposed to using synthetic materials. The primary goal is to optimize the health and productivity of interdependent communities of soil life, plants, animals and people … the systems are based on specific and precise standards of production which aim at achieving optimal agroecosystems which are socially, ecologically and economically sustainable.

Thus organic cattle production differs from conventional production, and in many ways is close to the agriculture of Asia. It aims to fully integrate animal and crop production and develop a symbiotic relationship of recyclable and renewable resources within the farm system. Livestock production then becomes one component of a wider, more inclusive organic production system.

Organic cattle producers must take into consideration several factors other than the production of livestock. These factors include the use of organic feedstuffs (including limited use of feed additives); use of pasture-based systems; and minimizing environmental impact. Organic cattle production also requires certification and verification of the production system. This requires that the organic producer must maintain records sufficient to preserve the identity of all organically managed animals, all inputs and all edible and non-edible organic livestock products produced. The result is that organic food has a very strong brand image in the eyes of consumers and thus should command a higher price in the marketplace than conventionally produced food.

The whole organic process involves four stages:

1. Application of organic principles (standards and regulations).

2. Adherence to local organic regulations.

3. Certification by local organic regulators.

4. Verification by local certifying agencies.

Restrictions on the use of ingredients in organic diets include:

• No genetically modified (GM) grain or grain by-products.

• No antibiotics, hormones or drugs. Enzymes are prohibited as feed ingredients used to increase feed conversion efficiency (they may be used under derogation where necessary for the health and welfare of the animal).

• No animal by-products, except that milk products are permitted.

• No grain by-products unless produced from certified organic crops.

• No chemically extracted feeds (such as solvent-extracted soybean meal).

• No pure amino acids, either synthetic or from fermentation sources.

Organic Standards

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Table of contents

• Cover
• Title page
• Copyright
• Disclaimer
• Contents
• Foreword
• Acknowledgements
• 1 Introduction and Background
• 2 Aims and Principles of Organic Cattle Production
• 3 Elements of Cattle Nutrition
• 4 Ingredients for Organic Diets
• 5 Breeds for Organic Production
• 6 Integrating Feeding Programmes into Organic Production Systems
• 7 Conclusions and Recommendations for the Future
• Index
• Back Cover