Organic and alike farming in Latin America: state and relevance for small-scale livestock keepers

While the organic movement is growing, its contribution to small-scale livestock farm-ing in Latin America is contentious. Secondary literature and available statistics were used for this study. Farms and area under certified organic agriculture are rising, but small-scale livestock farming is little represented. The latter is yet to be found in non-certified organic-like farms, offering locally adapted paths to securing livelihoods

Situationsanalyse süddeutscher Erwerbsziegenhalter

Dairy goat keeping is a growing business in Germany since the 1980ies. So far, there is little knowledge on the structure of these goat farms and their husbandry and breed-ing management. Aim of this study was to get an overview on dairy goat husbandry and breeding in Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria. For this, a structured questionnaire was developed to investigate operational characteristics and basic data on dairy goat husbandry and breeding. The addresses of commercial dairy goat farms where ob-tained from goat breeders associations. The feedback from goat farmers was very high (94%). Most dairy goat farms are organic farms and belong to specific certifying organisations. Most farms (87%) farm less than 50 ha of agricultural land and keep between 60 and 100 goats. The German Fawn is the predominant breed (80%) in female goats. There is a large variation in numbers of male goats per farm and also in their breed. The marketing of surplus kids is mainly directly to the consumer and below 12 weeks of age. Finally, commercial dairy goat farming in south Germany secures an income to small family farms. So far, there is no consistent breeding strat-egy. Also, the marketing strategies still need improvement. Therefore, development of breeding and marketing organisation as well as performance based breeding pro-grammes will be of major importance for further improvement in dairy goat keeping

Ökologische und konventionelle Milchviehhaltung im Vergleich: Haltungsbedingungen, Tierwohlindikatoren und Leistung von Fleckvieh und Holstein Kühen

Diese Studie untersuchte den Einfluss des Betriebstyps (ökologisch vs. konventionell) und der Rasse (Fleckvieh vs. Holstein) auf die Haltungsbedingungen und das Management und Leistungs- und Tierwohlindikatoren anhand von Interviews und Betriebsmessungen. Ferner wurde die Wahrnehmung von Tierwohlindikatoren durch die Landwirte evaluiert. Kühe auf Biobetrieben hatten mehr Weideauslauf und waren weniger häufig enthornt als Kühe auf konventionellen Betrieben. Das Haltungssystem und die Rasse hatten einen signifikanten Einfluss auf die Milchleistung. Obwohl kein signifikanter Einfluss des Betriebstyps und der Rasse auf Mastitis- und Lahmheitsindikatoren festgestellt wurden, zeigten die Ergebnisse einen geringeren Einsatz und niedrigere Kosten einer Antibiotikabehandlung gegen Mastitis auf Biobetrieben. Die Landwirte beider Betriebstypen bewerteten das Platzangebot pro Tier als wichtigsten Tierwohlindikator während die Milchleistung und die Körperkondition der Tiere als die am wenigsten geeigneten Tierwohlindikatoren angesehen wurden

Breeding for resistance to nematode infections in organic goat production in Germany – A way forward?

Organic goat production in Germany could benefit from genetic improvement strategies that take the resistance of goats to nematode infestations and the resilience and tolerance for infections into consideration. However, there still is an immense research need before such traits can be incorporated in a breeding program

Carcass Grading for Local Vietnamese Ban Pigs and its Potential for a Quality Feedback System in a Short Food Supply Chain

AbstractIn-situ conservation of local pig breeds in Southeast Asia requires genetic improvement embedded in viable marketing concepts. Increasing demand offers marketing opportunities for indigenous Vietnamese Ban pork. This study sought to adjust estimation methods for grading light carcasses according to their leanness. Using data from the dissection of 45 carcasses, several models were fitted and evaluated. Although the predictive power of the equations was limited, Ban carcasses could be approximatively classified according to their lean content. Finally, a suggestion of how to include these measurements in a quality feedback system of a short food supply chain is made

Optimising contributions of goat farming to household economic success and food security in three production systems in Ethiopia

The study aims to analyse factors affecting contributions of goat farming to household economic success and food security in three goat production systems of Ethiopia. A study was conducted in three districts of Ethiopia representing arid agro-pastoral (AAP), semi-arid agro-pastoral (SAAP) and highland mixed crop-livestock (HMCL) systems involving 180 goat keeping households. Gross margin (GM) and net benefit (NB1 and NB2) were used as indicators of economic success of goat keeping. NB1 includes in-kind benefits of goats (consumption and manure), while NB2 additionally constitutes intangible benefits (insurance and finance). Household dietary diversity score (HDDS) was used as a proxy indicator of food security. GM was significantly affected by an off-take rate and flock size interaction (P0.001). The increment of GM due to increased off-take rate was more prominent for farmers with bigger flocks. Interaction between flock size and production system significantly (P0.001) affected both NB1 and NB2. The increment of NB1 and NB2 by keeping larger flocks was higher in AAP system, due to higher in-kind and intangible benefits of goats in this system. Effect of goat flock size as a predictor of household dietary diversity was not significant (P0.05). Nevertheless, a significant positive correlation (P0.05) was observed between GM from goats and HDDS in AAP system, indicating the indirect role of goat production for food security. The study indicated that extent of utilising tangible and intangible benefits of goats varied among production systems and these differences should be given adequate attention in designing genetic improvement programs

Discriminating the quality of local pork from crossbred pork from extensive production of ethnic minorities in mountainous northern Vietnam

Developing short food supply chains for products from local pig (Sus scrofa domesticus) breeds may offer chances for smallholders in rural areas to participate in niche markets and obtain additional income. Because the authenticity and distinctness of products are crucial for establishing marketing, this study compared selected product characteristics of pork from the Vietnamese Ban breed with pork from crossbreds, each derived at their typical market weight and from their respective extensive and semi-extensive production environment; thus resembling the combination, the products are available for customers. Traditional Ban pork could be effectively discriminated from crossbred pork through cut dimensions, exemplified by the significantly reduced loin eye area (P 0.001), and by the significantly reduced backfat thickness (P 0.001). Also, marbling fat was significantly decreased in local pork (P 0.001), whereas differences in further meat quality parameters were rather weakly expressed. The significantly higher share of polyunsaturated fatty acids in loins of traditionally produced Ban pigs (P = 0.003) could possibly result in a preferred nutritional value, but lower oxidative stability of the products. This study provides novel information to improve the marketing of specialty pork in Vietnam and comparable situations in the Southeast Asian Massif

Effekte verschiedener Aufzuchtmethoden von Ziegen auf Gesundheits-, Leistungs- und Verhaltensparameter

Die Auswirkungen von Ziegen-Kitz-Trennung und Absetzen auf die Gesundheit, Leistung und Verhaltensparameter wurden in drei Aufzuchtsystemen untersucht: 1) Kitze, die Muttermilch trinken, 2) Mutter-Kitz-Trennung und Konsum von Milchersatz, 3) und Kitze, die sowohl Muttermilch als auch Milchaustauscher konsumieren. Das Körpergewicht, die Morbidität und der Milchaustauschkonsum wurden für die Kitze gemessen, und die somatische Zellzahl in der Milch, die Milchleistung, die Morbidität, die Anzahl der Schritte, die Positionsänderungen von Stehen zu Liegen und die Liegezeit für Ziegen. Pp Trennung führte zu einer niedrigeren Variabilität der somatischen Zellzahl innerhalb der Gruppe und zu einer niedrigeren Anzahl kranker Mütter. Jedoch führte pp Trennung bei Kitzen zu einer fluktuierenden Körpergewichtszunahme und zu einem erhöhten Morbiditätsrisiko. Die gegenteiligen Ergebnisse wurden für Ziegen und Kitze, die zusammen gehalten wurden, gefunden. Die verhaltenswissenschaftlichen Ergebnisse zeigten keine klaren Trends. Der Testlauf zur Steigerung des Wohlbefindens und der Milchleistung durch die Gabe von Milchaustauscher für Kitze, die mit den Ziegen gehalten wurden, erwies sich als nicht vorteilhaft

Zuchtprogramme ohne Biotechnologie - Etablierung von Bockringen in der Ziegenzüchtung

Within organic livestock farming, the use of AI versus natural mating is under steady discussion. However, no special organic breeding programs without AI are set in place so far. The present study takes goat breeding in Germany as an example to show how an organic breeding program without biotechnology could be organised. As basis, breeding planning on different breeding plans is carried out: the breeding program in place, a breeding program with buck rotation within “buck circles” and a breeding program with AI are evaluated. It can be shown that within smaller populations (here: goat breeding in South Germany) a buck rotation scheme with progeny testing is superior in genetic gain than the actual and a breeding program based on AI. In a second step, in discussions with different stakeholders and farmers the hygiene plan of the buck circle was discovered as the critical point. A detailed hygiene plan has to be worked out and agreed upon by all participants. Still, the participating farmers have to trust all members of the group, because the compliance with the regulations is only limited controllable