?url_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Adc&rft.title=Organic+beef+and+sheep+production+in+the+uplands&rft.creator=ANON%2C+&rft.subject=+Farming+Systems&rft.subject=+Sheep+and+goats&rft.subject=+Beef+cattle&rft.description=The+organic+unit+at+ADAS+Redesdale+was+established+to+evaluate+the+physical+and+financial+implications+of+converting+a+progressive+hill%2Fupland+unit+to+an+organic+system.+Conversion+of+400+ha%2C+600+breeding+ewes+(in+3+flocks)+and+35+suckler+cows+was+completed+in+1993.+One+organic+flock+(Organic+Dipper+)+was+managed+as+a+direct+comparison+with+a+conventionally+managed+system+(Conventional+Dipper).++During+the+early+years+following+conversion%2C+an+organic+system+was+developed+which%2C+financially%2C+enabled+the+organic+unit+to+compete+favourably+with+a+comparable+conventional+system.+This+was+on+the+basis+of+maintaining+similar+stocking+rates%2C+and+pushing+the+organic+system+towards+maximum+output.++As+the+experiment+progressed%2C+it+became+increasingly+clear+that+a+different+balance+of+farming+and+environmental+objectives+were+required+if+the+broader+ecological+and+ethical+objectives+of+organic+farming+were+to+be+better+met.+Stocking+rate+reductions+had+been+made+in+two+of+the+organically+managed+flocks+(Cairn+and+Burnhead)++in+1995.+On+the+basis+of+the+divergence+in+flock+and+individual+animal+performance%2C+and+following+recommendations+by+the+Project+Steering+Committee%2C+sheep+stocking+rates+were+reduced+by+25%25+on+the+Organic+Dipper+flock+from+November+2000.+From+mating+in+November+2001%2C+breeding+ewe+numbers+on+the+Burnhead+flock+were+reduced+by+a+further+45%25+in+line+with+Countryside+Stewardship+prescriptions.+%0D%0AThe+overall+objective+of+the+study+was+to+compare+the+long-term+performance+of+organic+and+conventional+hill+and+upland+systems.+The+project+was+funded+as+a+one-year+extension%2C+pending+a+review+of++DEFRA%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%99s+organic+research+programme.+The+2000%2F01+production+year+covered+in+this+report%2C+represented+the+eighth+year+under+full+organic+production%2C+and+coincided+with+the+redirection+of+management+on+the+unit+towards+better+integration+with+agri-environmental+objectives.+Data+were+collected+on+physical+and+financial+performance%2C+animal+health+and+welfare%2C+and+market+performance.+However%2C+the+outbreak+of+foot+and+mouth+disease+in+February+2001%2C+forced+management+changes%2C+which+significantly+affected+the+systems+comparison.+Absolute+results+therefore+need+to+be+viewed+against+this+background.%0D%0AEight+commercial+organic+farms+were+costed+to+provide+information+on+physical+and+financial+performance+(related+to+2000+born+lamb+and+calf+crops)+in+support+of+the+main+study.+Stocking+rates+varied+from+0.6+to+1.6+grazing+livestock+units+(GLU)+per+adjusted+hectare.+Across+the+sample+of+farms%2C+the+effect+of+replacing+HLCA+(Hill+Farming+Compensatory+Allowance)+with+HFA+(Hill+Farming+Allowance)+in+2000+was+generally+neutral%2C+but+tended+to+favour+more+extensive+systems.+Performance+of+sheep+and+cattle+were+within+expected+limits+for+hill+and+upland+production.+Farm+output+(%C3%82%C2%A3+per+adjusted+hectare)+was+%C3%82%C2%A3770%2C+%C3%82%C2%A3407%2C+and+%C3%82%C2%A3592+for+linked+farms%2C+Newcastle+University+and+IRS+FBS+costed+farms+respectively.+Whole+farm+gross+margin+averaged+%C3%82%C2%A3587%2Fadj.+ha+(range+%C3%82%C2%A3265+%C3%A2%C2%80%C2%93+%C3%82%C2%A3628)%2C+representing+extensive+and+value+added+production+systems+respectively.+Fixed+costs+ranged+from+%C3%82%C2%A3332+-+%C3%82%C2%A3498%2C+compared+with+fixed+costs+of+%C3%82%C2%A3184+and+%C3%82%C2%A3337+for+Newcastle+and+IRS+respectively.+Based+on+the+identical+sample+of+five+farms%2C+average+Net+Farm+Income+(NFI)+was+%C3%82%C2%A346%2Fadj.+ha+higher+in+2000+than+in+the+previous+year.+On+all+but+one+farm%2C+NFI+was+equal+or+lower+than+the+value+of+manual+labour+from+the+farmer+and+his+spouse%2C+resulting+in+a+negative+Management+and+Investment+Income.+%0D%0AIt+is+difficult+to+draw+precise+conclusions+on+the+performance+of+the+organic+unit+during+2001%2C+given+the+disruption+to+management+caused+by+FMD.+However%2C+the+relative+physical+performance+of+organic+and+conventional+systems+was++broadly+in+line+with+previous++years.+Choice+of+stocking+level+and+the+availability+of+market+premia+for+organic+stock+will+have+a+profound+effect+on+animal+performance+and+economic+return.+Good+levels+of+technical+performance+are+increasingly+important%2C+as+the+price+differentials+between+organic+and+conventional+beef+and+lamb+are+eroded.+Added+value+strategies+such+as+direct+selling%2C+can+significantly+boost+returns%2C+but+are+not+universally+applicable.+To+generate+significant+ecological+improvements+a+much+more+proactive+management+approach+is+required.+Information+from+the+linked+farm+study+shows+that+organic+farmers+are+generally+willing+to+spend+money+on+conservation+projects.+However%2C+in+order+to+make+this+investment+a+level+of+underlying+profitability+is+required.+The+linked+farm+study+also+shows+that+once+conversion+aid+payments+are+no+longer+payable%2C+only+a+minority+of+organic+hill%2Fupland+beef+and+sheep+farms+make+a+significant+profit.++With+profitability+increasingly+fragile%2C+and+organic+beef+imports+running+at+approximately+35%25%2C+any+major+changes+in+the+organic+standards+which+increase+the+costs+of+production+could+have+a+disproportionate+effect.&rft.date=2002&rft.type=Report&rft.type=NonPeerReviewed&rft.format=application%2Fpdf&rft.identifier=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F6594%2F1%2FOF0302_2167_FRP.pdf&rft.identifier=ANON%2C+(2002)+Organic+beef+and+sheep+production+in+the+uplands.&rft.relation=http%3A%2F%2Forgprints.org%2F6594%2F