Dairy, Beef and Sheep Production

There are many satisfactory books describing conventional animal production systems. The purpose of this chapter is not to duplicate any of this information but to propose achievable targets for organic systems of animal production and to comment on reasons for any differences between conventional and organic. 

In a report commissioned by the South West Regional Development Agency and the Countryside Agency in 2002, it was forecast that organic production is set to double by 2005 and that organically managed land will increase by 100%. 

In the conventional herd, concentrate use has decreased and stocking rate has increased, presumably because of the increased use of nitrogen fertiliser (Table 3.2). Wilkinson (1984) presents data to 

Walsh (1982) concluded, after studying top grassland dairy farms  

The assumptions underlying the target organic stocking rate are  

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Other hormones are used for increasing the milk production and efficiency of lactating dairy cows. In the United States an estimated 63% of all cattle and about 90% of feedlot animals are implanted witli growth hormones. Beef and sheep may be also implanted but not swine. When implants are used in young... 

Livestock projects have focused on UK dairy, beef, sheep and pig production systems and have targeted improvements in feeding regimes and preventative health management systems (e.g. for the control of mastitis and endo-parasites and gastrointestinal diseases). 

In 2000, an international sluciy consistently found traces of highly toxic cotton-related pesticides in beef, sheep fat, chicken, fish, eggs, dairy products, onions and carrots produced in Uzbekistan-. A separate study by the World Bank ound that rost o Uzbekistan s ood products do rot reet rational ood quality standards due to cortariratior bv cotton... 

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