Organic goat and sheep dairy in the Netherlands

The dairy sector is the largest organic sector in the Netherlands. Not only cows, but also goats and sheep are kept to produce milk and a variety of cheeses. Although a significant share of total organic dairy production is exported, domestic consumers are continuing to buy more and more Dutch organic dairy. To facilitate organic dairy farmers, Wageningen UR and Louis Bolk Institute carry out a variety of research aimed specifically at organic dairy production. The report contains sector facts, sector aspirations, current affairs and research projects

Success of a participatory research and extension programme in the Dutch organic dairy goat sector

In 2004, most organic dairy goat farms had financial problems due to a gap between the milk price paid and the cost price on farm. In 2005, a research project “BIOGEIT” was started. In 2007, the research project was combined with an extension programme. A framework was set up with 3 shells. The first shell consisted of two farmer research groups in which goat keepers worked in close cooperation with researchers on a specific theme. One research group has worked constantly on cost price optimisation and milk price. One of the activities in the farmers research group on cost price was monitoring the cost price and milk price over the years. Its objective was threefold: determining priorities for cost price optimisation, using the cost price for milk price negotiations and monitoring the project results. The cost price inclusive labour costs evolved from 58.92 euro/100 l in 2004 to 65.24 /100 l in 2009. The milk price (7% fat and protein; exclusive tax) evolved from 51 euro/100 l in 2004 to approximately 70 euro/100 l in 2012. From the year 2009 onwards, the cost price is covered by the milk price

Effect of vitamin E and selenium and different types of milk on health and growth of organic goat kids

Newborn goat kids are low in blood levels of vitamin E and selenium. Not known is how this affects health and growth of the kids. In a study on an organic farm 40 kids were allotted to 4 groups. Parenteral administration of 0.5 ml vitamin E and selenium solution (treated groups) or 0.5 ml salt solution (placebo) at the day of birth was combined with powdered full goat milk or goat milk replacer during the raising period. The milk-groups were housed in one group. Housing conditions and additional feed were the same for all groups. Blood samples were taken at days 0, 31 and 102. Kids were weighed at blood sampling days and at day 14. Health and medical treatments were recorded by the farmer. In goat milk selenium content was 116 µg/kg and vitamin E was 1.5 mg/kg while milk replacer contained 682 µg/kg and 102.7 mg/kg resp. Health did not differ between groups and number of treatments were low. No kids were lost till day 31 indicating a good farm management. Blood GSH-Px and vitamin E values in treated groups and in milk replacer groups were significantly higher than in placebo groups and goat milk groups at day 31 but not at day 102. The average daily gain in the first 14 days, the first 31 days and over the whole period of 102 days was 181, 181 and 165 grams. Treated groups gained on averages 10 grams more a day than the placebo groups, milk groups did not differ in daily weight gain. Although blood levels are different between treated and between milk groups, no relevant differences in health and weight occurred under well managed farm conditions

Production and persistency of red clover (Trifolium pratense) varieties when grown in mixtures

In the Netherlands organic and conventional dairy farmers are taking an increasing interest in grass and red clover mixtures for ley pastures (cutting only). A constraint to the adoption of such mixtures is the persistency of the red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) varieties presently used in the Netherlands; Rotra, Barfiola, Violetta and Merviot. The latter being the most persistent under practical circumstances. Testing of red clover varieties in Switzerland showed a high degree of persistency of the so-called ‘mattenklee’ varieties such as Astur and Pica (Suter et al., 2004). We compared eight red clover varieties including 2 ‘mattenklee’ varieties in mixtures with perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.), and a mixture containing white clover and perennial ryegrass only. Red clover mixtures out yielded the white clover mixtures by 5.4 t dry matter (DM) ha -1 . ULC 1715186 and Astur were the most productive red clover varieties. The development of the clover content of Astur showed that this variety scored highest on persistency

Berechnung der Produktionskosten von biologischer Ziegenmilch

Eine Prognose der Produktionskosten für das Jahr 2008 ergibt durchschnittlich 80,27 je 100 Liter Milch, umgerechnet auf 7 % Fett und Eiweiß, während die Prognose des gezahlten Milchpreises bei den heutigen Absprachen möglicherweise den Durchschnittswert von 68,80 je 100 Liter Milch, umgerechnet auf 7 % Fett und Eiweiß, erreichen könnte. Im Fazit können wir die Aussage vertreten, dass die Produktionskosten für biologisch produzierte Ziegenmilch weit über dem Milcherzeugerpreis liegen und dass diese Schere sich in Anbetracht der Entwicklungen im Hinblick auf Milchpreis-Steigerungen und Kostenbeherrschung in der jüngsten Vergangenheit erst ganz geringfügig schließt

Biokennisbericht #10: Geiten en schapen; Thema: Duurmelken bij schapen

Duurmelken wil zeggen: langer melken zonder te lammeren. Bij geiten is duurmelken ondertussen een bekend fenomeen. Sinds 2008 zijn er ook ervaringen met het duurmelken van melkschapen. In dit BioKennisbericht meer over deze ervaringen en enkele achtergronden

Controlling broad-leaved dock (Rumex obtusifolius) in grass clover mixtures

This article describes three experiments on the control of broad-leaved dock. Experiment 1: Dock seeds were ensiled in grass silages of different dry matter percentages; 23, 34 and 60% respectively. All silages showed a decline of seed vitality in time. Grass clover with dock seeds should be ensiled at a low dry matter percentage or remain in the silage bin for a longer period than 8 weeks. Experiment 2: In a potassium fertilisation trial on grass clover the development of dock was followed. After two years of potassium fertilisation, the number of dock and the root mass was not significant different between the fertilised and the unfertilised plots. It is concluded that potassium fertilisation at a low potassium status does not positively influence the dock development. Experiment 3: In a resown grass clover, dock seedlings were cut at three frequencies; 2, 4 and 6 weeks. After 3 months the number of seedlings had decreased the same in all treatments. However the root biomass of the seedlings was significantly affected. It is concluded that frequent cutting has a negative effect on root biomass but should be practised for a longer period than 12 weeks to have an effect on seedling numbers

Towards resilience through systems-based plant breeding. A review

How the growing world population can feed itself is a crucial, multi-dimensional problem that goes beyond sustainable development. Crop production will be affected by many changes in its climatic, agronomic, economic, and societal contexts. Therefore, breeders are challenged to produce cultivars that strengthen both ecological and societal resilience by striving for six international sustainability targets: food security, safety and quality; food and seed sovereignty; social justice; agrobiodiversity; ecosystem services; and climate robustness. Against this background, we review the state of the art in plant breeding by distinguishing four paradigmatic orientations that currently co-exist: community-based breeding, ecosystem-based breeding, trait-based breeding, and corporate-based breeding, analyzing differences among these orientations. Our main findings are: (1) all four orientations have significant value but none alone will achieve all six sustainability targets; (2) therefore, an overarching approach is needed: “systems-based breeding,” an orientation with the potential to synergize the strengths of the ways of thinking in the current paradigmatic orientations; (3) achieving that requires specific knowledge development and integration, a multitude of suitable breeding strategies and tools, and entrepreneurship, but also a change in attitude based on corporate responsibility, circular economy and true-cost accounting, and fair and green policies. We conclude that systems-based breeding can create strong interactions between all system components. While seeds are part of the common good and the basis of agrobiodiversity, a diversity in breeding approaches, based on different entrepreneurial approaches, can also be considered part of the required agrobiodiversity. To enable systems-based breeding to play a major role in creating sustainable agriculture, a shared sense of urgency is needed to realize the required changes in breeding approaches, institutions, regulations and protocols. Based on this concept of systems-based breeding, there are opportunities for breeders to play an active role in the development of an ecologically and societally resilient, sustainable agriculture

Natuurherstel in grasland door klaver en kalibemesting

Hoge fosfaatgehalten in bodems van voormalige landbouwgronden staan een snelle natuurontwikkeling in de weg. Het huidige verschralingsbeheer leidt op korte termijn niet tot de gewenste fosfaatverschraling. Het Overlegplatform Duinboeren en het Louis Bolk Instituut hebben in samenwerking met Vereniging Natuurmonumenten de mogelijkheden van ‘uitmijnen’ getoetst door middel van de biologische teelt van grasklaver in het natuurontwikkelingsgebied het Hengstven

Maïsteelt en mestscheiding: Langetermijneffecten op organische stof

Een groep veehouders uit de Brabantse Kempen onderzoekt het gebruik van de dunne fractie en mineralen-concentraat in gras en maïs. Dit gebeurt in het project ‘Fosfaat: de bodem als bron’ onder leiding van CLM, DLV en Louis Bolk Instituut. Doel van de veehouders is om uiteindelijk in eigen beheer mest te gaan scheiden. Binnen het project is het effect van het gebruik van dunne fractie en mineralenconcentraat op de organische stof bij maïsteelt onderzocht met het model NDICEA