Improving organic animal farming

Organic animal farming is growing rapidly but faces a range of challenges in areas such as nutrition, health and welfare. This volume surveys the wealth of research addressing these challenges. The book start with a review of organic principles and the key question of the right breeds for organic farming. It then discusses forage-based nutrition and animal health as well as safety and environmental impact. The volume goes on to assess different types of organic animal farming, from smallholder tropical to pastoral rangeland systems. It concludes by focussing on key issues in the organic farming of beef and dairy cattle, poultry, pigs, sheep and goats, fish and bees. Edited by two leading authorities in the field, and with an international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for all those interested in understanding, improving and promoting organic animal farming.

Table of Contents:
1.Setting the scene: the continued drive to improve organic animal farming: Mette Vaarst, Aarhus University, Denmark; and Stephen Roderick, Duchy College, UK Part 1 Concepts in organic animal farming2.The principles of organic livestock farming: Susanne Padel, The Organic Research Centre, UK3.The effects of organic management on greenhouse gas emissions and energy efficiency in livestock production: L. G. Smith, The Organic Research Centre and Cranfield University, UK; and A. G. Williams, Cranfield University, UK4.Rethinking and engaging with animal health in organic farming: Mette Vaarst, Aarhus University, Denmark5.Enhancing naturalness and human care in organic animal farming: Lindsay K. Whistance, The Organic Research Centre, UK6.Biosecurity and safety for humans and animals in organic animal farming: K. Ellis, Scottish Centre for Production Animal Health and Food Safety, University of Glasgow, U7.Integrated crop–livestock systems with agroforestry to improve organic animal farming: A. J. Escribano, Nutrion Internacional, Spain; J. Ryschawy, University of Toulouse, France; and L. K. Whistance, The Organic Research Centre, UK8.Smallholder integrated organic farming: how can it work in the tropics?: Raphael Wahome and Caroline Chepkoech, University of Nairobi, Kenya9.Pastoralism and organic animal farming: are they complementary?: Stephen Roderick, Duchy College, UK Part 2 Farming of particular species10.Organic dairy farming: key characteristics, opportunities, advantages and challenges: S. Ivemeyer, University of Kassel, Germany; and A. Bieber and A. Spengler Neff, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland11.Organic dairy farming: towards sustainability: Florian Leiber, Adrian Muller, Veronika Maurer, Christian Schader and Anna Bieber, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland12.Organic beef farming: key characteristics, opportunities, advantages and challenges: Isabel Blanco Penedo, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), Sweden; and José Perea-Muñoz, University of Córdoba, Spain13.Organic sheep and goat farming: opportunities and challenges: Georgios Arsenos, Angeliki Argyriadou, Sotiria Vouraki and Athanasios Gelasakis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece14.Organic pig farming: key characteristics, opportunities, advantages and challenges; Barbara Früh, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland; and Mirjam Holinger, ETH Zürich, Switzerland15.Organic poultry farming: opportunities and challenges: Mette Vaarst, Aarhus University, Denmark; Klaus Horsted, Danish Centre for Food and Agriculture DCA, Aarhus University, Denmark; and Veronika Maurer, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland16.The development of organic aquaculture: Timo Stadtlander, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland17.Organic and natural beekeeping, and caring for insect pollinators: Nicola Bradbear, Bees for Development, UK Part 3 The future18.Improving organic animal farming for the future: Stephen Roderick, Duchy College, UK; and Mette Vaarst, Aarhus University, Denmark

About the Author :
Dr Mette Vaarst is a Senior Researcher in the Department of Animal Science at Aarhus University, and in the International Centre for Research in Organic Food Systems (ICROFS), Denmark. She has published widely on organic animal farming and coordinated a number of major European research projects in this area. Dr Stephen Roderick manages research and development projects in organic and sustainable farming at Duchy College’s Rural Business School in the UK. He has published widely in animal health and farm resource management.