Improving organic animal farming

This collection reviews key research addressing key challenges faced by organic animal farming in improving yields, animal nutrition and health. Part 1 assesses current research on environmental impact, promoting animal health, enhancing naturalness and welfare. It also reviews how organic systems fit in with agroforestry, pastoralist and other smallholder farming systems.

The second part of the book includes case studies from leading experts on current research in improving the farming of particular species. Chapters review challenges and opportunities in organic dairy and beef farming, sheep and goats, pigs and poultry. There are also chapters on organic aquaculture as well as organic and natural beekeeping.

With its distinguished editors and international team of expert authors, this will be a standard reference for all those researching organic animal farming as well as the organic livestock farmers, organic certification and regulatory bodies.

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 farming
2.The principles of organic livestock farming: Susanne Padel, The Organic Research Centre, UK;
3.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, UK;
4.Rethinking and engaging with animal health in organic farming: Mette Vaarst, Aarhus University, Denmark;
5.Enhancing naturalness and human care in organic animal farming: Lindsay K. Whistance, The Organic Research Centre, UK;
6.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, UK;
7.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, UK;
8.Smallholder integrated organic farming: how can it work in the tropics?: Raphael Wahome and Caroline Chepkoech, University of Nairobi, Kenya;
9.Pastoralism and organic animal farming: are they complementary?: Stephen Roderick, Duchy College, UK;

Part 2 Farming of particular species
10.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), Switzerland;
11.Organic dairy farming: towards sustainability: Florian Leiber, Adrian Muller, Veronika Maurer, Christian Schader and Anna Bieber, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland;
12.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, Spain;
13.Organic sheep and goat farming: opportunities and challenges: Georgios Arsenos, Angeliki Argyriadou, Sotiria Vouraki and Athanasios Gelasakis, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece;
14.Organic pig farming: key characteristics, opportunities, advantages and challenges; Barbara Früh, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland; and Mirjam Holinger, ETH Zürich, Switzerland;
15.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), Switzerland
16.The development of organic aquaculture: Timo Stadtlander, Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland;
17.Organic and natural beekeeping, and caring for insect pollinators: Nicola Bradbear, Bees for Development, UK;

Part 3 The future
18.Improving organic animal farming for the future: Stephen Roderick, Duchy College, UK; and Mette Vaarst, Aarhus University, Denmark;