Organic Dairy and Poultry Farming

In India during the last four decades the poultry and dairy industry have transformed from backyard farming to a commercial organized, scientific and vibrant industry but the issues of food safety and quality remain unaddressed. Poultry and dairy sectors play a significant role in improving the socio economic condition of the rural masses. Day by day the consumers are becoming more aware about safety and quality of their food products. As the purchasing power of common people is increasing persistently they are interested to consume safer products without bothering to pay more. Hence, the priority now is to lay more emphasis on organic farming in order to produce safer animal products without compromising on the animal welfare issues.

FAO defines Organic farming as “ a unique production management system which promotes and enhances agroecosystem health, including biodiversity, biological cycles and soil biological activity, and this is accomplished by using on farm agronomic, biological and mechanical methods in exclusion of all synthetic off farm inputs.”

The main aim of organic farming is to establish and maintain soil-plant, plant-animal and animal-soil interdependence and to produce sustainable agro ecological system based on local resources. It does not require external inputs like fertilizer, antibiotics etc., but prominently rely on ecosystem management. The agriculture cycle is incomplete without the involvement of domesticated livestock that play a major role in the cycle under the organic livestock production. The establishment of organic animal husbandry requires a specific period called the conversion period, the time taken between start of the organic management on farm and certification of the livestock farm and its product. The transition from conventional system to organic management system of livestock enterprises calls for a careful and gradual approach.

In organic farming preference shall be given to local breeds of dairy and poultry. Food animals for organic meat production must be the progeny of organically reared parent stock. In addition maximum care should be taken to provide an environment where the poultry and livestock get ample chance to exhibit their natural behavior.

In 1972, the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM) was founded in Versailles, France. IFOAM was dedicated to the diffusion of information on the principles and practices of organic agriculture across national and linguistic boundaries. In the 1980s, various farming and consumer groups worldwide began pressing for government regulation of organic production. This led to legislation and certification standards being enacted beginning in the 1990s.

Since the early 1990s, the organic farming in developed economies has grown about 20 per cent annually following a spurt in consumer demand for organic products. Consequent to the increase in demand at the retail level, initially small independent producers were responsible for the growth of organic farming. Subsequently, as the volume and “variety” of organic products grew, production of organic food is increasing in large-scale.

Standards

More often organic farming is defined by formal standards regulating production methods, and in some cases, the final output. Two types of standards exist, namely voluntary and legislated. As early as the 1970s, some private associations created standards so that the producers of the organic products could voluntarily get their products certified. In the 1980s, a few governments initiated the process of drafting guidelines for organic production. During the 1990s, trend towards legislation of standards began; most notable was the EU-Eco-regulation developed by the European Union.

In 1991, the European Commission formulated the first government system to regulate organic labelling. In one go, the European Regulation (EEC) 2092/91 set the rules in 12 countries, creating a huge market surge for organic products. Organic certification, which until then was a voluntary quality control system, became mandatory to all operations including imports. Eventually, Europe emerged as the most prominent market place for organic products and an increasing number of suppliers all over the world accepted this niche as a new challenge and at the same time a rewarding option to export high quality and high priced speciality products. All these supplies, of course, had to comply with the requirements of the European market and thus the Regulation (EEC) N° 2092/91 became a universal standard for organic production systems.

An international framework for organic farming was provided by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM), the international democratic umbrella organization which was established in 1972. For IFOAM members, organic agriculture was based upon the principles of IFOAM norms, comprised of the IFOAM Basic Standards as well as the IFOAM accreditation criteria.

The IFOAM Basic Standards are a set of "standards for standards" established through a democratic and international process and reflected the current state of art technology for organic production and processing; and regarded as a work in progress to lead the continued development of organic practices worldwide. They provide a framework for national and regional standard-setting and certification bodies to develop detailed certification standards that are responsive to local conditions.

Legislated standards are established at the national levels which vary from country to country. In recent years, many countries have enacted legislations for organic production, including the EU nations (1990s), Japan (2001), and the USA (2002). Non-governmental national and international associations also have evolved their own production standards. In countries where production is regulated, these agencies must be accredited by the governmental agencies.
Since 1993 when EU Council Regulation 2092/91 became effective, organic food production has been strictly regulated in the UK. In 2002, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) established production standards, under the National Organic Program (NOP), which regulates the commercial use of the term organic. Farmers and food processors must comply with the NOP in order to use the word.

In India, standards for organic agriculture were announced in May 2001, and the National Programme on Organic Production (NPOP) is administered under the Ministry of Commerce. The Agricultural produce export development agency (APEDA) under the ministry regulates the certification of organic products as per NOP. The NPOP standards for production and accreditation system have been recognized by European Commission andSwitzerland as equivalent to their country standards. Similarly, USDA has recognized NPOP conformity assessment procedures of accreditation as equivalent to that of US. With these recognitions, Indian organic products duly certified by the accredited certification bodies ofIndia are acceptable to the importing countries.

Organic livestock standards prohibit the use of synthetic growth hormones such as rBGH and the routine use of antibiotics. Additionally, all animals must be raised in natural living conditions appropriate for their species. The animals are fed only organic feed, and the processing of all meat, poultry and dairy products must meet organic standards as well.

Many types of livestock namely cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, swine and poultry can all be certified organic for the sake of human consumption. Similarly, whole meats and processed meat products may also be certified, but it is important to note that organic livestock must be fed certified organic feed, grass and other grains in order to meet certification standards.

Organic dairy, especially milk, is one of the most popular organic product categories on the market today. Organic dairies process and sell basic milk, including whole, skim and or may also carry other dairy items such as yogurt and frozen yogurt, butter, ice cream, buttermilk, cheese and more.

Chickens, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowls and shell eggs are all eligible for organic certification by the National Organic Program (NOP). To gain organic certification poultry chicks intended for egg production must be raised and cared under continuous organic management from the second day of life. 

a. Appropriate housing that permits natural behaviour, including outdoor access

b. Certified organic feed, including pasture

c. No antibiotics, drugs or synthetic parasiticides

d. Organic processing of meat and eggs

e. Recordkeeping system to allow tracking of poultry and products (audit trail)

f. Organic system plan including description of practices to prevent contamination, monitoring practices and list of inputs

g. Production that does not contribute to contamination of soil or water

h. No genetically modified organisms, ionizing radiation or sewage sludge

i. Pasture management

j. Grazing management

k. Stress management

l. Dry cow management, or a dry cow program

m. Seasonal breeding

n. Access to the environment.

o. Access to the pasture.

p. Natural maintenance of shelter.

q. Avoidance of synthetic substances.

r. Rearing of birds without cages

s. Outdoor access

t. Organic feed

u. Natural treatments 

Productivity

A study of 22-year farm trial by Cornell University published in 2005 concluded that organic farming produced the same corn and soybean yields as conventional methods consuming less energy and contained no pesticide residues. However, a prominent a study of 21years of organic practices in Switzerland reported lower yields to the tune of 20 per cent over conventional but with a impressive reduction in costs on fertilizer and energy to the tune of 50 per cent, and 97 per cent on pesticides. A major US survey published in 2001, analyzed results from 150 growing seasons for various crops and concluded that organic yields were 95-100 per cent of conventional yields. However, comparative yield studies are still scarce and overall results remain "inconclusive".

The issue of productivity is more complex than a summary of yield (production per land area), which was the measure used in these studies. Instead, productivity could be calculated in terms of labour and time rather than by land area. Organic methods often require more labour, which while providing rural jobs increase costs to urban consumers.

The choice of breeds of poultry should be based on their adaptability to the local conditions. Breeding goals should not be contrary to the animal behaviour and should be directed towards good health. The use of genetically engineered species or breeds is not allowed for organic farming. Reproductive techniques should be natural and hormonal treatment for better egg production is contraindicated. The sex ratio should be one male for about 4-6 hens in a flock like in case of the wild birds.

The birds should be housed in such a way as to provide opportunity for the bird to exhibit all its normal behaviour patterns and experience minimal stress. Cages should be avoided and birds should be reared under deep litter system. They must have easy access to an outside grazing area, fresh air, clean water, balanced ration, dust bathing facilities and an area for scratching. Debeaking and beak trimming are usually prohibited practices but some certifying agencies still permit Debeaking if done more than 5mm of the upper beak should not be removed (Chander et.al 2006). In the organic meat sector birds must be grown for a period of 81 days of age usually.

Birds should be fed 100 per cent organically grown feed of good quality. All ingredients must be certified as organic, except vitamin and mineral supplements making up to 5 per cent of the diet. The diet should be offered in a form so that the birds can exhibit natural feeding behaviour and digestive needs. Concentrated balanced feed ration produced organically should be given. The largest component of any organic poultry diet is maize and high quality roughages, particularly legumes can be supplemented to the diet. Home grown protein sources like peas, beans and rapeseed can also be utilized. Peas can be included at the rate of 250-300g/kg for the table chicken and 150-200g/kg for laying hens. Since sprouted pulses are a good source of vitamins they can be preferentially used to replace synthetic amino acids. Limestone and rock phosphate in general and limestone grit and rock phosphate particularly for layers can be included as mineral source. Trace minerals incorporated in the diets should be organic or ayurvedic in nature. The quota of essential amino acids can be met through feeding organic soybean, skim milk powder, potato protein, maize gluten etc. Nevertheless, balanced ration should be given and overfeeding must be avoided.

A continuous access and ample supply of drinking standard quality water free from residues should be assured. Water should be regularly tested for ground water contamination.

Health Care:

The principle of healthcare and management in the organic farming concept is that when all management practices are directed towards the well being of the birds they will achieve maximum resistance against diseases and overcome many infections. Clean grazing and dry litter would ensure prevention of almost all health related problems. Use of antibiotics should be avoided; however vaccinations are permitted only when diseases are expected to be a problem. Use of natural medicines and homeopathy and ayurveda should be encouraged.

Record Keeping:

Record keeping with respect to the overall management practices is the most important factor. It should be systematic documentation of activities, observations and inferences from time to time for future reference. Records include breeding records, registers indicating source of animals purchase, source of organic feed ingredients, feed supplements and feed additives purchased, organic feed formulation record, organic poultry pasture record, inventory of health care products, sanitation products, monthly flock records of organic egg layers, organic meat poultry, organic poultry slaughter/sales summary and monthly organic egg packing /sales record.

The organic dairy movement has grown significantly during the past one and a half decade, following creation of infrastructure and network support. The basic requirements of organic dairy include the following:

 “Only organic milk can address concerns of Indian citizens regarding the quality of milk they have been consuming,” said Dr Daniel. “Global consumption of organic milk has been increasing 20% annually in view of its well-documented health benefits. In contrast, the overall milk consumption has been falling by 10% annually (693 million tonnes in 2008).”

Wal-Mart is the biggest seller of certified organic milk in the global scenario, followed by USA’s Horizon Organic and France’s Groupe Danone. In fact, the European Union nations as well as Norway, Switzerland, New Zealand, Japan and Canada all have banned the use and imports of hormonal milk and dairy products considering the cancer-causing ingredients in such milk.

“India exports little milk though it is the largest global producer of milk (125 million tons of milk annually); this is primarily because of quality issues.”
Dr Selvam Daniel, Managing Director, ECOCERT India, global name in certification of organic food, cosmetics and textiles, said that only organic milk could put India on the global dairy export map.

 “In view of the consumer’s increasing concerns about milk adulteration, there is a huge demand for organic milk in India,” said Daniel. “According to a study done by International Competence Centre for Organic Agriculture milk is among the top 10 organic foods categories in demand in India.”

Organic milk

The healthiest milk from the healthiest cow is naturally loaded with lactoferrins, immunoglobulins, and growth hormones. Organic milk contains animal fat and cholesterol, dioxins, and bacteria. The amount of somatic cells (pus) in organic milk is lower than milk from non-organic cows. Danish scientists have said that organic milk contains more vitamin E and beta carotene. British research bodies have confirmed the presence of higher levels of Omega 3 fatty acids in organic milk.

1.Free of antibiotics, added hormones, GMO feed and other drugs; no GMO animals:

Animals raised organically are not allowed to be fed antibiotics, the bovine human growth hormone (rbGH), or other artificial drugs. Animals are also not allowed to eat genetically modified foods. Further, animal products certified as organic can’t have their genes modified (for example, a scorpion gene cannot be spliced into a cow gene).

2. Mad cow safeguard: Animals aren’t forced to be cannibals
The practice of feeding cattle the ground up remains of their same species appears to cause bovine spongiform encephalopathy, a horrific disease that destroys the central nervous system and brain, can be given to humans who eat the cows. The disease in humans has a very long latency period, and is called Creutzfeld-Jakob disease.

3. More humane, ethical treatment of animals
Factory farms treat animals like commodities, and they are kept in tightly confined pens and often never move more than a few feet their whole lives.

4. Animals free-range and graze
The words “free-range,” and “ranch raised” are clues that the animals were raised in a more humane way. Their diet tends to be more well-rounded; the animals are not confined and spend time outdoors in the fresh air.

5. Manure
Small farms use it, industrial farms pollute with it.

6. Animals are integral to small farms
Using animal manure is considered recycling of nutrients. No farm can cope with all the animal offspring, so selling some makes economic sense. Sustainable farms tend to provide and sell a range of products, and organic eggs and animal products would be included.

7. Fewer chemicals used
Synthetic pesticides and fertilizers are not used on the food or land. Residues of persistent chemicals such as DDT, PCBs, dioxin, and many pesticides concentrate in animal fat. Eating organic animal fat reduces your exposure to these chemicals.
Farmers working on organic farms are exposed to fewer chemicals.

8. Diversity
Industrial farms rely on just a few species of cattle, chickens, pigs, etc., whereas small sustainable farms tend to raise a wider variety of livestock. Entire species of livestock can die out if they are not raised on farms.

9. Factory farms use huge amounts of resources
The factory farm industry is run with cheap, nonrenewable fossil fuel. Producing, transporting, processing, and marketing the food all depend heavily on it. Without cheap fuel, industrial agriculture would be impossible because it would be too expensive, notes organic farming expert Fred Kirschenmann. The heavy pesticide use on industrial farms contaminates groundwater and soil. Kirschenmann believes industrial farms are responsible for the loss of over half ofU.S. topsoil.

10. Your money support the farm you buy from
If you buy your meat from an organic farmstand at a farmer’s market you support that farm. On the other hand, if you buy non-organic meat that isn’t local, free-range, or ranch-raised from a supermarket chain, you most likely support a multinational food conglomerate.

1.Lack of knowledge and awareness among consumers at the production and marketing level

2.Inadequate financial support, inadequate local certifying agencies and lack of marketing channels

3.Training facilities for poultry & dairy farmers are not adequate 

Conclusion

Livestock revolution aims not merely to increase the production but to improve food security and safety of consumers .India has a tremendous potential for organic animal production and the ill effects of conventional farming are compelling the consumer to shift to the organic food products.